Supercharger - Dickinson, ND

[SammichLover]

It's somewhat unusual for Tesla to build a supercharger unreachable from a neighboring supercharger. Does this possibly mean that we are ignorant of superchargers currently under construction to the west of here? Anybody scouted recently?

Define “unreachable”. But almost certainly there will be more SC following soon.

<edit>
Bismarck ND Supercharger location

What isn’t clear to me is where they’d put one to the West/South, or if for some time to come this will be a cul-de-sac coming from the East except for Summers in longer range vehicles (I made it from Spearfish with 10%+ to spare traveling mostly 70mph).

 

[SammichLover]

Tesla now has a whole bunch of Superchargers with the groundwork done.

I think Tesla is taking a different approach to Supercharger buildout now, separating the groundwork and final wiring and commissioning. So Dickinson, ND construction starting doesn't mean it'll be the first Supercharger open in ND.

At this moment the most advanced SC site on the Canadian side of the Prairies is Davidson, SK. They are currently wiring the V3 cabinets, that have been already installed.

Davidson SK is very much a “charger island”, more-so than Dickinson. 400-475 miles from the nearest functioning SC (long distance above is via #1 highway, where the other SC are being built).

 

[XHabjab]

I think the additional point is that the actual connections start in Deep River, on the way from Ottawa. The crew in Sault Ste Marie (Canada) said they were headed up to Wawa next, the next thing that passes for a stop within 200km (120mi). They could be finishing all the way to Thunder Bay and the prairies crew could have done the TransCanada to Thunder Bay also, and we'd not know about about it.

My thought is - either Tesla is still perfecting the V3 assembly line in Buffalo (NY), or they plan to deliver and connect everything as close to all at once as they can get to have a grand opening of the northern route. But check out the threads for North Bay, Deep River, Davidson, Sault... the rest of the cabinetry minus the pedestals is already being installed.

I wonder if they'll do the same to you - get all the base prep done and then hook up and go live with the whole string in a short time after that with a splashy announcement. But maybe a week or two after Trans-Canada announcement so it doesn't get drowned out in the news.

My current theory (subject to change) is that they will do the big splash within hours of the Q3 financial report, which would be early October. There is a growing list of Supercharger sites under construction that have everything but pedestals. Not just Canada or North Dakota.

 

[PLUS EV]

My current theory (subject to change) is that they will do the big splash within hours of the Q3 financial report, which would be early October. There is a growing list of Supercharger sites under construction that have everything but pedestals. Not just Canada or North Dakota.

My, much more mundane, working theory is that there is simply a shortage of pedestals. While they have made an effort to not leave individual superchargers on an island for too long, they have never done a big "splash" opening an entire route at once to public fanfare. Why would we think they would be doing that now?

 

[SammichLover]

My, much more mundane, working theory is that there is simply a shortage of pedestals. While they have made an effort to not leave individual superchargers on an island for too long, they have never done a big "splash" opening an entire route at once to public fanfare. Why would we think they would be doing that now?

...with North Dakota. Perhaps you could get real public attention in Canada with opening the #1 all the way, but in the US no way these ND SC rises above the daily news noise.

 

[XHabjab]

My, much more mundane, working theory is that there is simply a shortage of pedestals. While they have made an effort to not leave individual superchargers on an island for too long, they have never done a big "splash" opening an entire route at once to public fanfare. Why would we think they would be doing that now?

I don't agree with the "shortage" idea. In my observation, Tesla is artificially holding back close to 100% of the pedestals. And this is at most sites, not just V3. Urban and V2 sites seem to be throttled as well.

There's another point hiding in your comments, too. Tesla has changed construction techniques. Previously, the transformer and meter were the last part of the construction process (before commissioning, labels etc). We've seen sites now where the transformer is one of the first steps (Winnipeg, Brandon, Regina).

"They've never done it that way before" is a poor argument here. They are in fact doing the whole flow differently, at least in Canada and North Dakota.

I see a quarterly results parade about to happen. Elon's biggest battles are with the shorts, and quarterly results season is when things get announced. I think we'll see announcements on some of: China factory, Model Y, pickup truck, semi (?), North Dakota, Canada, Europe, surprise profit (?), Solar City, battery technology. [Not all of these but there will be a list.]

 

[lightfoot3b]

Day 6 Concrete pouring, all electrical is run. Inverters not on site.

View media item 120277View media item 120276View media item 120275View media item 120274View media item 120273View media item 120272

 

[jordy101]

Day 6 Concrete pouring, all electrical is run. Inverters not on site.

View media item 120277View media item 120276View media item 120275View media item 120274View media item 120273View media item 120272[/QUOTE
Wow this is great progress!

 

[PLUS EV]

I don't agree with the "shortage" idea. In my observation, Tesla is artificially holding back close to 100% of the pedestals. And this is at most sites, not just V3. Urban and V2 sites seem to be throttled as well.

There's another point hiding in your comments, too. Tesla has changed construction techniques. Previously, the transformer and meter were the last part of the construction process (before commissioning, labels etc). We've seen sites now where the transformer is one of the first steps (Winnipeg, Brandon, Regina).

"They've never done it that way before" is a poor argument here. They are in fact doing the whole flow differently, at least in Canada and North Dakota.

I see a quarterly results parade about to happen. Elon's biggest battles are with the shorts, and quarterly results season is when things get announced. I think we'll see announcements on some of: China factory, Model Y, pickup truck, semi (?), North Dakota, Canada, Europe, surprise profit (?), Solar City, battery technology. [Not all of these but there will be a list.]

I guess I hope you're right, but I see lots of wild speculation in this post

 

[RDS]

Don’t get your hopes up too high! This is happening all over the US and been waiting in Michigan since before the end of Q2. I feel this is a true shortage

 

[XHabjab]

I guess I hope you're right, but I see lots of wild speculation in this post

I'll be happy to be wrong about any or all of it, but in the big picture, the cavalry is coming.

 

[MD-2000]

Check out Davidson, Saskatchewan for the best pictures of everything except the pedestals for the new chargers. If the one location - Buffalo, NY - allegedly produces all the V3 equipment, there's also the possibility that they are concentrating on producing the support cabinets first, since they need more work to hook up than the pedestals probably do. We are starting to see these roll out across the Trans-Canada. I assume once a site in ready in ND it will start to get its cabinets too.

 

[meanwhileinND]

I'll be happy to be wrong about any or all of it, but in the big picture, the cavalry is coming.

 

[meanwhileinND]

Anyone know if Tesla is still Making V2 chargers? Or if they have V2 units yet to install? On another angle i'd think they would like to install V3 units in more densely pop areas to speed up the lines.

 

[mociaf9]

Anyone know if Tesla is still Making V2 chargers? Or if they have V2 units yet to install? On another angle i'd think they would like to install V3 units in more densely pop areas to speed up the lines.

From their previous statements, they will still be making/installing Urban Superchargers which are V2. So, Yes, as the urban ones are essentially the same back-end hardware with some minor modifications and then different charging posts.

 

[SammichLover]

Anyone know if Tesla is still Making V2 chargers? Or if they have V2 units yet to install?

I haven't followed here so I'm assuming the conduit layout has been a match to what we've seen further North in Canada? That's still quite unusual in the US construction that is going on right now, AFAIK these northern ones are the only currently in-construction sites confirmed to be V3. Vegas is done already and there's one out in Virginia (or that region) whose permit suggest it'll be V3, but at this moment V2 is the norm at both regular and Urban sites.

Does Tesla have a large stockpile of V2 gear that's built but stashed somewhere? Probably not. The delays some sites see in getting backend gear (not just pedestals) suggests there's still a manufacturing pipeline. If they haven't gotten V3 manufacturing costs down, or production rate up, enough yet that's a good reason to still be rolling out V2.

On another angle i'd think they would like to install V3 units in more densely pop areas to speed up the lines.

There are few places outside of CA that have waiting lines, and huge Urban Chargers installs are probably going to be more helpful dealing with lots of vehicles in high pop density places where the number of apartment dwellers, or otherwise unable to set up fully adequate home charger, would typically be higher. The advantage of an Urban Charger is that it is as fast as a V3 from about 75% SOC and up, where someone charging up for the week will spend a lot of their charging time in contrast to someone driving through on a trip will typically spend very little if any time in that range.

 

[Sonny Daze]

This has to be a record for the longest days Permitted to construction. Lets hope Alexandria MN (524 days) doesn’t break it.

I remember finding this but it was so long ago I don't recall why I was even searching for info in MN.

My, much more mundane, working theory is that there is simply a shortage of pedestals.

Supposedly a construction crew in MD claims that the pedestals are on back order (Supercharger - Frederick, MD) until mid September (Supercharger - Frederick, MD). Even if true, who knows how many will be available and which location will get them first.

 

[MD-2000]

My thought too is not only are they planning to mostly V3 chargers from here on, but perhaps that once you get to the sparse western states (and provinces) that more people are travelling extended distances. So charging in half an hour instead of an hour is a more worthwhile goal on those trips, when your trip is all day or more.

 

[5170304]

That's still quite unusual in the US construction that is going on right now, AFAIK these northern ones are the only currently in-construction sites confirmed to be V3.

Check out the Williams CA site. I believe it is an in construction V3.
Supercharger - Williams CA (under construction Aug 2019)

 

[DMC5180]

Check out the Williams CA site. I believe it is an in construction V3.
Supercharger - Williams CA (under construction Aug 2019)

Interesting that the V3 Williams site is using modular pre-cast concrete bases for all the equipment bases instead of onsite concrete pouring.