Supercharger - Cambridge, MA

[minderbinder]

How'd we miss this one - already open, and no one noticed! 8 stall urban SC.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

How'd we miss this one - already open, and no one noticed! 8 stall urban SC.

View attachment 269951

It's inside the mall's parking garage apparently. Maybe we were all smart enough to shop online for the last 2 months. LOL

This is actually a good spot for me if I ever drive in. I work across the river near North Station, and the wife works in Kendall Square. I may actually use this one at some point.

 

[figers]

Is it free to park in that garage?

I know the museum of science has free ChargePoint that I use every time I bring the kids

 

[woof]

I'm pretty sure that same location had the first Chargepoint's the city installed (around 2011 if I recall correctly).

Parking isn't free, but is pretty cheap ($3 for 1st hour I think). Stores can validate if you shop.

 

[Tdreamer]

Nice. Curious - since the urban supercharger's yield a lower output (but even across all stalls), do the same idle fees apply? I would assume so....

 

[robby]

Tesla navigation does not specify that parking fees apply as it does for the Boston. Can someone confirm whether that's an oversight or whether they have something worked out with the garage?

 

[PeterK]

Wow, I can’t believe I missed this. I was shopping with kids at Cambridgeside twice just before Christmas, and again on the 26th for returns but parked in the upstairs lot. They’ve had a handful of level 2 chargers for years that I’ve used on occasion but I didn’t notice any new SC construction going on. I’ll try to check it out this week.

 

[jlv1]

I know the museum of science has free ChargePoint that I use every time I bring the kids

Those ChargePoint at the MoS are new -- they just installed just after the last time I was there (8 month ago).

 

[robby]

Stopped by this morning. Can confirm that parking is paid at normal garage rates. I called Tesla to let them know and they said they'd update the Nav UI.

 

[sabourinj]

For anyone looking for this Supercharger, it's inside the Lower Garage (any of the 3 entrances) at Cambridgeside. There is also an Upper Garage which only has one entrance, but you cannot get to the Supercharger from there. Follow the signs towards the exit. When you see the exit gates, make a left and you'll see the Superchargers. There is also a two stall Chargepoint station and Zipcar on the same level. The pay on foot machines for the garage are just inside the mall entrance a short distance from the supercharger, but you can also pay with credit card at the gate if you don't want to leave your car.

 

[RaphC]

Stopped by this morning. Can confirm that parking is paid at normal garage rates. I called Tesla to let them know and they said they'd update the Nav UI.

Still cheaper than Prudential Parking fee I guess ...

 

[delanman]

Nav should indicate that this is an indoor/parking garage location. It does correctly indicate that it “closes” at 1:00am M-Sat, midnight on Sunday. I’m guessing the parking ticket machine stops issuing tickets and raising the barrier at closing time.

Location is a right turn into a downsloping ramp from “Cambridgeside Place”. Take a ticket and enter straight to the far wall. Follow the signs to the exit. At the Enterprise car rental office, go left following the Tesla Supercharger signs. You’ll see the urban chargers against the far wall. Section “G1 Lower Garage” if that helps.

 

[jya*]

Still cheaper than Prudential Parking fee I guess ...

If you just need to add a few emergency miles there is a grace period where you can exit the garage free. You pull a ticket upon entry and then validate it at a machine, then scan the ticket to exit. I stopped by for a quick errand, went to pay at the kiosk within ~10 minutes (it said my cost was $0), and then exited the garage within ~10 minutes, and added at least 60 miles. If you don't fit within the grace period, this is one of the lowest parking prices in East Cambridge.

 

[shadownddust]

I've been excited to see how much use it's been getting over the past few months with the M3 ramp. In July, it was common for me to be the only one charging at any given time. Now, it's rare that I'm ever the only one, and once or twice it has been completely full, with mine coming in to fill the last open spot. I know it's not ideal to have to wait for a charge (though generally there's always a spot or two), but as another owner and I once remarked, we'd rather see the stalls being used and increased adoption of EVs than to always see them empty and discourage further investment by real estate owners.

However, I have been getting slower charging rates recently, maxing out around 40-50kW, even with no one else charging. Very strange. Other owners have remarked the same as well. I could be wrong, but I could have sworn I would get closer to the max rated 72kW before.

 

[yousexy]

The temperature of your battery is the major factor. Also worn out wire and adapter is another common cause. I have experienced both in the past. Last winter I had a case where I'm pulling 1kw at Tarrytown supercharger with a single digit outside temperature & 2 miles driven on the car from the hotel.

 

[shadownddust]

The temperature of your battery is the major factor. Also worn out wire and adapter is another common cause. I have experienced both in the past. Last winter I had a case where I'm pulling 1kw at Tarrytown supercharger with a single digit outside temperature & 2 miles driven on the car from the hotel.

Yea, the battery temp was my first thought, but most days I charge after work, so it's been sitting in the moderately warm (~50-60F) garage for the whole day, and I would think that would be warm enough (but could be wrong). Yesterday I maxed out at around 60kW at around an SoC of 60%. It started out at 43kW at SoC of 39%.

 

[eladts]

This location shows up in the navigation system as temporarily closed, probably because CambridgeSide is closed due to COVID-19.

 

[eladts]

@Chuq @MarcoRP The mall is open, but according to PlugShare the garage hours are limited.

 

[colinsummers]

I just charged there yesterday. The hours of the garage seem to be 6am to 12am. That's close enough to 24hrs for me. Most of my charging sessions there cost $3 for the parking fee, which is more reasonable than anything else in the Boston area.

While I was there yesterday there appeared to be a transformer event. Loud bang and yellow flash. The lighting over the charging area went out and the chargers all died. The map shows it inoperative still.

 

[EdA]

Were there other cars charging at the time of the event?