BHUtopia, you might want to edit your graphic out as it includes your street addresses.
Edit: sorry, didn't see your disclaimer about the addresses.
Last edited:
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Supercharger - Buttonwillow, CA (10 V2 stalls)
- Thread starter Tuan
- Start date
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- California Supercharging USA
BHUtopia, you might want to edit your graphic out as it includes your street addresses.
Edit: sorry, didn't see your disclaimer about the addresses.
ddimit
Member
It merits a test drive. I found it less stressful, less traffic. It would be interesting to see timed drives. Harris Ranch is always an unkown as how full the Supercharger is and its been know to have some downtime not to mention you have no other backup charging options around there. I would say for now Fresno would be less likely to be impacted. but then I might be proven wrong.
jimmy_d
Deep Learning Dork
Well I can confirm that Buttonwillow is up and running. Personally I'm really appreciative of this new location as Buttonwillow has been my favorite stop location-wise for years, and they put the chargers in the exact parking lot that I would have preferred to boot. Tejon Ranch might be more optimally located for a lot of folks who are trying to absolutely minimize charge time, but I'm not a fan of how far it is from the highway and don't really like any of the food options there anyway. At Buttonwillow the Subway and Starbucks aren't fancy, but they get the job done and access (especially northbound) is great. Plus with 10 chargers you're less likely to find a line on a busy day than you are at Tejon Ranch.
Jimmy, thanks for the photo. Amazing how rapidly construction was completed since I was there on January 2nd!
cpa
Active Member
Actually, the posted speed limit on SR99 is 65 from Stockton to Madera. From Madera to the junction with Interstate 5 the posted speed limit is 70, with a 12-mile stretch through Fresno and another 10-mile stretch through Bakersfield where the limit drops to 65. (Mileage is an estimate.) The highway is still two lanes in each direction from Visalia to Delano. While I do not drive much over the speed limit, if at all, many drivers seem to be going 70-72 in the 65 zones and 75-77 in the 70 zones.
That always bugged me too and I never understood it until my last trip. The problem is that the right lane is so heavily used by trucks on I5 that it wears out many times faster than the left lane. The left lane is just plain smoother. On my last trip I got sick of the ride, and spent a lot of time in the left lane. When I saw somebody approaching within 1/2 mile, I moved to the right, then back to the left after they passed. It doesn't feel right to me to drive that way, but as good as the Model S is, it can't make up for six hours in a poorly maintained lane.
ddimit
Member
Exactly, if you stay in the right lane you will destroy you car. so you spend time going back and forth to let those going faster pass on by
jimmy_d
Deep Learning Dork
Yeah, fast build
Yeah, seems like it went from empty to done in a span of weeks. Pretty impressive.
Yeah, seems like it went from empty to done in a span of weeks. Pretty impressive.
Just to summarize the food options reported above as I understand them, after checking Google maps and other web sites:
Subway and Starbucks right next to SC, visible in photo.
Taste of India about 200 yard walk SE on Tracy, same side of street.
Dennys and Quiznos 100 yard NW on Tracy, Quiznos inside 76 station (verified with street view), same side of street.
I like Dennys only when I am in mood for full breakfast.
Street view shows sign for All you Can Eat Buffet, soup and salad bar in truck stop Travel Center of America across street.
However, TCA web site shows only Taco Bell Express, Pizza Hut Express, suggesting buffet is closed.
Subway and Starbucks right next to SC, visible in photo.
Taste of India about 200 yard walk SE on Tracy, same side of street.
Dennys and Quiznos 100 yard NW on Tracy, Quiznos inside 76 station (verified with street view), same side of street.
I like Dennys only when I am in mood for full breakfast.
Street view shows sign for All you Can Eat Buffet, soup and salad bar in truck stop Travel Center of America across street.
However, TCA web site shows only Taco Bell Express, Pizza Hut Express, suggesting buffet is closed.
ddimit
Member
Better choices that Harris actually, there its either Harris Ranch restaurant or Subway, No quick way to walk across the freeway overpass for other options.
By "here" do you mean Buttonwillow? Source?
That would be a first for Tesla to build a 10-stall Supercharger and then very soon (as in within months) add even more stalls. Seems unlikely to me.
It also seems to soon to be able to tell. TR was obviously a problem and a good candidate for expansion, but it will also come down to how people's driving habits change. It used to be that if you left Fremont, you couldn't go past HR without charging because you wouldn't have enough energy to get to TR. If you charged fully at HR, you couldn't go past TR without a warning that you'll never make it to the next SC, and even if you could make it, you wouldn't have any charge left for local driving if you didn't want to charge as soon as you got to that area. Now, all "required" stops are optional, people can still use them, or avoid them completely and use ones that didn't exist and are now optional for those who stick with the old ones.
For somebody who starts off in Fremont, it's possible to get all the way to Buttonwillow on a charge, and then make it to the LA area after a complete charge there. For those who want a single stop, that's going to be a big destination, so I wouldn't rule out the need for more than 10 chargers at some point.
But without data, it's all speculation.
For those driving from the SF Bay Area to LA on 4, most (not all) will pass by Gilroy. It's about 185 miles from the Gilroy SC to the Buttonwillow SC. Even allowing for the climb over the Pacheco Pass that's easily doable in an S85 or 90 if you keep it to 70 on the 5 (which I do, but many don't). From Buttonwillow it's easy to get to the LA area even with the climb over the Tehachapis.
I am going to try doing exactly that on February 15th. At the moment there is no rain in the forecast which is good because significant rain would probably make Gilroy to Buttonwillow difficult.
I am going to try doing exactly that on February 15th. At the moment there is no rain in the forecast which is good because significant rain would probably make Gilroy to Buttonwillow difficult.
Cottonwood
Roadster#433, Model S#S37
I also heard from reliable sources that another set of chargers may be going into the Buttonwillow area, but maybe a few miles away...anyone know how to keep an eye on permits in this area?
cpa
Active Member
Maybe at Lost Hills (junction with SR46). That junction is roughly 1/3 of the distance between Buttonwillow to HR (going north.) I am too lazy to compute the actual distances. There are a bunch of fast food restaurants on the west side of the junction.
Buttonwillow and Lost Hills are in Kern County, so maybe the Kern County Building Department would be the place to consult.
And then again, maybe at Kettleman City, which is in Kings County. Kettleman City is only about 15 miles south of HR. Again, mostly fast food there, with the added bonus of In'n'Out Burger.
HookBill
Member
As for TR, I would personally like to see a separate set of chargers placed on the east side of the 5. That way north bound traffic could charge on the east side of the 5 and south bound traffic could charge at the existing site on the west side, thus eliminating having to cross over the freeway, and still provide the required relief at the TR location without having to figure out how to fit more chargers into an existing location.
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