Supercharger - Bowen, Qld

[moa999]

6 V3 stalls under construction at Bowen, Qld.
Bowen is between Mackay (which has a coming soon pin on the Tesla map) and Townsville.

In the Woolworths Bowen carpark - Cnr of Richmond Rd and The Soldiers Rd

Likely part Qld Govt funded as the list included Soldiers Rd at Bowen.
Also seems to confirm information in this post that Bowen and Mackay were likely next.

Spotted under construction by Greg C on Facebook TOA (public group).

Tesla Owners Australia | Bowen in North Qld is getting 6 Tesla chargers installed | Facebook

Bowen in North Qld is getting 6 Tesla chargers installed. In the Woolworths carpark and not far from the Bruce Highway. Bowen is about 1hr north of Airlie Beach. Not sure of the kWs or start...

www.facebook.com

 

[technerdx6000]

Wonderful to see! Thats three Tesla Superchargers now from the QLD government co funded program. Other charging networks: *crickets*...

Bring on Mackay!

 

[gazpachopolice]

Exciting stuff! This will be by far the northernmost SC in Australia, only about 550 km from Cairns. And since it's also out of range for the next one (Rockhampton, 520 km), it's pretty much guaranteed that Mackay, between the two, is next in line.

 

[JonDarian]

Exciting stuff! This will be by far the northernmost SC in Australia, only about 550 km from Cairns. And since it's also out of range for the next one (Rockhampton, 520 km), it's pretty much guaranteed that Mackay, between the two, is next in line.

They actually need a charger between Mackay and Rockhampton, which is further than a MY RWD can drive on a full charge. That stretch of road is also home to two of the least reliable QESH chargers. If we charge in Rockhampton and then Carmila (QESH) that gets us to the Evie at Proserpine, then the Evie at Townsville. A supercharger at Carmila would mean high-speed charging all the way to Townsville, which is pretty good.

I don't know whether any of the spots between Rockhampton and Mackay have the electrical infrastructure for a set of superchargers, though. Maybe Sarina will be the choice. Mackay's QESH charger is a long way from the highway, too.

 

[technerdx6000]

Superchargers in Carmila or Marlborough would use more power than those entire towns. Superchargers + megapack would work though

 

[ev.enthusiast]

They actually need a charger between Mackay and Rockhampton, which is further than a MY RWD can drive on a full charge.

Agreed. Rockhampton to Mackay is ~335 km which is also almost not doable for most of the legacy model S/X fleet in Australia which are not equipped with 100 kWh batteries. Even the 100 kWh ones would need either a full or close to full charge to make it when factoring in driving conditions (headwinds, temperature affecting the need for cabin cooling, battery degradation).

Tesla would eventually need to install a SC between Rockhampton and Mackay. Otherwise there would be a hard dependancy of older Teslas on non-Tesla DC fast chargers.

A supercharger at Carmila would mean high-speed charging all the way to Townsville, which is pretty good.

Carmila is an intersting choice. It's ~235 km from Rockhampton, well within the range of most EVs (Teslas and non-Teslas in case the SC needs to be opened up to non-Teslas too) except the ones with really small batteries (Nissan Leaf etc.). It is also only ~100 km from Mackay which will have a SC soon.

Maybe Sarina will be the choice. Mackay's QESH charger is a long way from the highway, too.

Sarina is only ~40 km out from Mackay and ~300km from Rockhampton. Will be interesting to see if Tesla choose Sarina as a SC spot. I think it's quite unlikely unless either there is a heavy demand for DC fast charging which pushes Tesla to install 2 SCs, or if they move the Mackay SC location to Sarina instead.

Superchargers in Carmila or Marlborough would use more power than those entire towns. Superchargers + megapack would work though

Both Carmila and Marlborough have 1x 50 kW DC (split across CHAdeMO and CCS2) and 2x 22 kW Type 2 AC chargers installed. That's ~100 kW power available to existing chargers. I'm guessing Tesla could do a 3 stall V3 SC at either of those locations with the existing infrastructure?

Interestingly, both Marlborough and Carmila are similar in distances to each of the known (in case of Mackay) and built (Rockhampton) SC location. Marlborough is ~105 km from Rockhampton while being ~230 km from Mackay. Carmila is almost the same distance but the other way around.

 

[Keith Spencer]

They actually need a charger between Mackay and Rockhampton, which is further than a MY RWD can drive on a full charge. That stretch of road is also home to two of the least reliable QESH chargers. If we charge in Rockhampton and then Carmila (QESH) that gets us to the Evie at Proserpine, then the Evie at Townsville. A supercharger at Carmila would mean high-speed charging all the way to Townsville, which is pretty good.

I don't know whether any of the spots between Rockhampton and Mackay have the electrical infrastructure for a set of superchargers, though. Maybe Sarina will be the choice. Mackay's QESH charger is a long way from the highway, too.

I have done that stretch several times on a single charge in my MY RWD

 

[Keith Spencer]

Agreed. Rockhampton to Mackay is ~335 km which is also almost not doable for most of the legacy model S/X fleet in Australia which are not equipped with 100 kWh batteries. Even the 100 kWh ones would need either a full or close to full charge to make it when factoring in driving conditions (headwinds, temperature affecting the need for cabin cooling, battery degradation).

Tesla would eventually need to install a SC between Rockhampton and Mackay. Otherwise there would be a hard dependancy of older Teslas on non-Tesla DC fast chargers.



Carmila is an intersting choice. It's ~235 km from Rockhampton, well within the range of most EVs (Teslas and non-Teslas in case the SC needs to be opened up to non-Teslas too) except the ones with really small batteries (Nissan Leaf etc.). It is also only ~100 km from Mackay which will have a SC soon.



Sarina is only ~40 km out from Mackay and ~300km from Rockhampton. Will be interesting to see if Tesla choose Sarina as a SC spot. I think it's quite unlikely unless either there is a heavy demand for DC fast charging which pushes Tesla to install 2 SCs, or if they move the Mackay SC location to Sarina instead.




Both Carmila and Marlborough have 1x 50 kW DC (split across CHAdeMO and CCS2) and 2x 22 kW Type 2 AC chargers installed. That's ~100 kW power available to existing chargers. I'm guessing Tesla could do a 3 stall V3 SC at either of those locations with the existing infrastructure?

Interestingly, both Marlborough and Carmila are similar in distances to each of the known (in case of Mackay) and built (Rockhampton) SC location. Marlborough is ~105 km from Rockhampton while being ~230 km from Mackay. Carmila is almost the same distance but the other way around.

Doubt Sabrina will be done
Too close to mackay

 

[JonDarian]

Doubt Sabrina will be done
Too close to mackay

I was wondering whether Sarina would be an option instead of Mackay. Frankly, I would settle for the Carmila charger being more reliable.

I have done that stretch several times on a single charge in my MY RWD

From Rockhampton to Mackay? Mine absolutely will not make it at highway speeds (100kph, using TACC, A/C set to something reasonable like 23C). What percentage of battery do you start and finish on? I tried it just last month, charged to 100% at the Rockhampton SC and entered the Mackay QESH as a destination. I think it predicted I would be at something like -8% on arrival. I had to stop at Carmila and charge, which wasn't great because the DC there has tended to cut out frequently during charging sessions.

 

[Capital_Electron]

In the planning system is a EV Station and Parking station south of Bowen at Proserpine. However, doesn't look to be fast charging..

Terms and Conditions

eplanning.whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

 

[JonDarian]

In the planning system is a EV Station and Parking station south of Bowen at Proserpine. However, doesn't look to be fast charging..

Terms and Conditions

eplanning.whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

That is interesting. Proserpine already has one QESH (DC and AC) charger and a two-berth Evie charger. The proposed site is very close to the existing QESH charger. I wonder if they will be adding a charger or moving one of the existing chargers.

 

[Baymax44]

Report active and charging successfully this morning by jowett777 from Plugshare.

 

[moa999]

And that takes Australia over 500 stalls

And confirmed on maps as available to non-Teslas as expected

 

[B3AU]

Posted on X.

First time they've given a shout out to the government?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1770275982861300115

 

[gm12]

Looks like Mackay SC could be a victim of Elons hissy fit dispensing the entire supercharging team. Means Bowen is kind of orphaned, too far from Rockhampton.

I'll be driving up to Bowen from Sydney next week. What's the best strategy after Rocky?. Charge at Mackay, then Proserpine?

 

[Blue heaven]

Looks like Mackay SC could be a victim of Elons hissy fit dispensing the entire supercharging team. Means Bowen is kind of orphaned, too far from Rockhampton.

I'll be driving up to Bowen from Sydney next week. What's the best strategy after Rocky?. Charge at Mackay, then Proserpine?

Is the proposed Mackay Supercharger site partly funded by the Queensland Government? I’m guessing (or hoping) once the remaining Tesla staff pick through the rubble the more important sites that haven’t started construction but are necessary to connect established Superchargers will continue as planned.

 

[JonDarian]

Looks like Mackay SC could be a victim of Elons hissy fit dispensing the entire supercharging team. Means Bowen is kind of orphaned, too far from Rockhampton.

I'll be driving up to Bowen from Sydney next week. What's the best strategy after Rocky?. Charge at Mackay, then Proserpine?

The hard part is the stretch from Rockhampton to Mackay. My MYRWD doesn't think it can get from Rockhampton's Supercharger to Mackay's QESH charger at highway speeds.

Marlborough's QESH charger is broken all the time (including now), but you might be able to get 11kW via a BYO Mennekes cable. Carmila's QESH charger is currently working (although I think it's AC backup is offline). If you are in serious trouble, there is a caravan park at Carmila which might allow you to use your UMC, however the motel absolutely does not allow EV charging.

Mackay's QESH charger is in the CBD and well off the highway. If you can get a good charge at Carmila, you are better to go through to Proserpine where they have a QESH charger and a pair of Evie chargers.

It is frustrating to see further delays in installing the Mackay Superchargers. They were meant to be completed in Q1 last year (as per Tesla Sales when I placed my order in October 2022).

 

[gm12]

Charged up at the Bowen supercharger today. Thought about posting on plugshare, but since I was the only one there and 5 spare chargers, the only scenario which warranted it would be a convoy of 6+ EV's hitting town at that time... I took my chances.

Could be the least utilised supercharger in the world?