Note: I have also heard that they've installed superchargers in Woodland, California (just north of Davis), near the Coscto (2185 Bronze Star Dr, Woodland, CA 95776). Not sure how many. Tesla has been busy around here during the 2020 Covid period.
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Interesting. I checked them out a day ago. I happen to live in South Davis less than a mile away, and go daily to a gym just a block away from these new superchargers, so I'm pleased, as I plan to purchase a Tesla this coming spring (2021). I am not complaining, but still left a little pleasantly baffled by the choice of location (based on what I understood Tesla's supercharger location philosophy was). Good for me, but:
- Choice of a (not particularly notable Safeway/Rite-Aid/Office Max) mall a mile away from the I-80 exit in south Davis is a little perplexing. Most Davis residents live north of I-80.
- The mall is pretty much just used by local south Davis residents, many of whom are students at Univ. Cal., Davis. It is certainly not a major destination for out-of-towners, like the factory outlet stores in Vacaville. And there is a (better) Safeway in north Davis, so most Davis Safeway shoppers probably go there (the north Davis Safeway).
- The chargers are hidden behind buildings out back--not plainly visible from either road going by the Mall.
- On the other hand, the Mall's parking lot was not used much in that particular (NW) corner, so it was available.
I am left thinking that the choice of a location, while great for me, was made solely because of the presumable lower relative cost to rent the space? Or maybe superchargers bring in customers, so perhaps the Oakshade Town Center mall courted Tesla to build their chargers there? I am ignorant of the financial variables of businesses operating on mall properties. Does Tesla pay the Mall, or does the Mall provide the location free to Tesla?
Regardless, I am still left thinking, "Why Davis?" I thought the idea was to put superchargers at major
destinations. Davis is primarily a source--an upper middle-class place where people
buy Teslas and drive them elsewhere; a residential town where people live and have nighttime home charging systems. Residents travel
from Davis
to Tahoe, Reno, Sierra ski resorts, Apple Hill, Sacramento workplaces and shopping areas, Woodland big box stores, Napa, the Bay area, Point Reyes, et cetera, et cetera. People who travel
to Davis in large numbers are mostly coming daily to work at the University (UCD). Any superchargers on campus yet? I don't think so.
Now there is a large and well-used public sports park (e.g., for softball, baseball, soccer, batting cage, etc.) across a street from the south Davis mall. So maybe the Tesla superchargers are intended to service that facility, as well as the Safeway mall.
So do these new Davis superchargers represent a new phase in the Tesla supercharger distribution effort?
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Meanwhile, back to me. I haven't looked into supercharging, as Davis did not have any until now. Unfortunately, if I get a new Model X or Model S, I will not have free supercharging (like a few years ago).
- Is regular (daily/weekly?) supercharging bad for the car's battery or charging system?
- Is it expensive (compared to home charging)?
- How long does it take to charge a Model X or S, let's say, from 20% to 80%?
- Is it possible to purchase lifetime supercharging when you buy a new car?
- Is it still possible to get free supercharging credits (as rewards) from Tesla?
I will look into those things on this site and elsewhere.
All in all this gives me greater confidence in Tesla as a business (e.g., they appear to continue to be expanding everywhere) and it pushes me towards selecting a Tesla, as opposed to waiting for some other cool electric car which may or may not make it by 2021-22.
