Alphacrux
Member
It’s looking like I’ll be passing through here in 10 days and can give a status update.
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Supercharger - Fort Stockton, Texas
- Thread starter vperl
- Start date
It’s looking like I’ll be passing through here in 10 days and can give a status update.
There was an email on the Central Texas Tesla Owners group list that implied that the locations in Ft. Stockton have fallen through... No idea what to believe...
Sad, if accurate. It would not surprise me. I fear Tesla will have to do some real "outside the box" work to get this resolved. Obviously there are forces we don't understand at play in Fort Stockton, and the remote nature of the area makes the options limited.
Obviously some sort of hangup in their typical process. With their Supercharger program going gangbusters they probably don't have the resources to get distracted by a single location. Hopefully they find an alternate plan sooner rather than later. I guess worst case scenario they could buy or lease some land themselves if they don't find a partner.
Alphacrux
Member
Could someone please post the email here?
Based on what others have posted here, I’ll be driving ozona to van horn at reduced speed ~70 mph in the p100d. My first time driving this stretch in a tesla, so I prefer to be conservative.
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S100D
Member
Here is the contents of the e-mail that was sent on the Tesla Owners group list. Paul Luna at Tesla would like someone to send him an e-mail if you know of a landowner that is willing to allow Tesla to build a SuperCharger there.
--- Sent by John K. ---
As many of us had surmised, the original location for the Fort Stockton Supercharger fell through and Tesla has been actively searching for a new site in Fort Stockton (or immediate area).
If anyone knows of a landowner in the Fort Stockton area "who would be interested in hosting and have a property that would be a suitable location for a Supercharger station," Paul Luna at Tesla would like to get in touch with them. Please send their contact information to Paul. He is pluna on the tesla.com domain.
charliepmayer
Member
I've always suspected small-town politics or ICE dealers on this one.
I'm afraid Tesla is being "home-towned" here.
The owner of the BBQ restaurant in Iraan offered Tesla a SC location at or near the Iraan Energy House charger.
I was told Tesla told him "no thank you". Perhaps it's time to re-think that decision. Not the best place, but better than nothing.
Currently offers 75 amp service, but I usually get an error mentioning "bad cord" or such, so charging is throttled.
Power, parking and facilities are available here: Fort Stockton RV Park.
I've used their 50 amp service, but it takes awhile. Local diner, pool.
Charlie
I'm afraid Tesla is being "home-towned" here.
The owner of the BBQ restaurant in Iraan offered Tesla a SC location at or near the Iraan Energy House charger.
I was told Tesla told him "no thank you". Perhaps it's time to re-think that decision. Not the best place, but better than nothing.
Currently offers 75 amp service, but I usually get an error mentioning "bad cord" or such, so charging is throttled.
Power, parking and facilities are available here: Fort Stockton RV Park.
I've used their 50 amp service, but it takes awhile. Local diner, pool.
Charlie
Several places have agreed to host the SC but then not been able to do so -- we don't know why. There is more going on here than the public is seeing. Some arm-twisting by someone with influence.
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
Go figure, as Fort Stockton appears to be oil country now without all that much else, at least according to Wikipedia.
Interesting history, though.
Maybe Tesla should move on to consider Balmorhea and Sheffield. Covers the smaller packs from both directions at least.
Anything to finally close the I-10 gap.
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
Hmmmm.... might be time to do some digging and to see what goes scurrying out of the light...
Put another way, we’ve got nothing now. And if someone is going to make things difficult, then I have no problem returning the favor.
So at what point did the process fail for the aforementioned businesses? I’m guessing somewhere in permits and planning.
Why does Fort Stockton hate clean energy?
Why is Fort Stockton afraid of the future?
Why does Fort Stockton not want Tesla owners to stop and buy stuff from their businesses or to stay overnight at their hotels?
Why does Fort Stockton want to lose business to Sheffield and Balmorhea?
You get the idea...
Edit: and yes, a temporary SC would be a fine idea but it still needs power...
Normally appealing to the local businesses might work, but this is stronger than a few additional customers (who would likely be customers if forced to make the trip in an ICE). A small town like this has some very influential people in control. Very likely, they are big land owners with oil interests.
Take a look at the stretch of I-10 just to the east of Ft. Stockton:
Every one of those little white splotches is an oil drill site -- some with pumps, some not successful. Somebody owns all that land and has lots of money that (in their estimation) will dry up if the electric car is successful. The land certainly isn't good for anything else.
Team that up with car dealers who have been there forever and are the only dealerships for hundreds of miles, and you have lots of money contributing to lots of campaigns and nobody really watches politicians in these areas to see that they are taking influence money.
You won't get the businesses to unite and rise up. Every little piece of government is bought and paid for. They won't get health inspections approved. Their taxes will go up. Their licenses will get revoked.
The only choice is to move outside the city, but the county government is perhaps just as bad. Then there is the issue of no utilities outside the population areas -- they can't just pop a SC at the next gas station -- it's miles away in Ozona (and they already have a SC).
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
Nice map. Ain’t corruption wunnerful? At least following the money seems as accurate as ever.
The car dealership lobby/family influence was/is strong in Tucson as well.
They’re not going to stop the rEVolution, but from a practical standpoint it sounds like Balmorhea and Sheffield may be more likely candidates for SCs short-term.
I have a hard time believing that Fort Freaking Stockton is the last bastion holdout of monied interests in the State of Texas.
Perhaps it should be renamed the State of Teslas.
I kid, I kid.
So how did Tesla solve this in other parts of Texas? Since a willing business per Tesla’s request still doesn’t overcome a stacked County Commission or a family-run electric company.
Will have to check to see if Balmorhea and Sheffield are in the same county. They’ve got a few of those county things in Texas.
In the end, there’s getting it done in Fort Stockton versus just getting it done. And I suspect Tesla will take the latter, at least in the short term. Given the juxtaposition of roads through and around FS, they may well want a megacharger there for semis in due time.
charliepmayer
Member
I sent this today, If I am assassinated tomorrow, please investigate:
At least temporarily, for sure. 68 miles from Van Horn and 160 miles from Ozona is not ideal, but better than nothing. There is also a tiny 24-hour Chevron gas station in Bakersfied (it IS Bakersfield) about 35 miles east of Fort Stockton which would be about the same gaps between SCs. Balmorhea has more, but I don't know if anything is open all night for facilities.
Graffi
Member
There is a freeway exit almost exactly between the two existing SC, just west of Ft. Stockton. A few building are there, what looks like an old gas station/market, not sure. Maybe in this area Tesla could purchase property and set up something like Kettleman City, CA. If Tesla were to build it then other businesses would follow. Since it is out in the middle of open land the land prices should be a lot cheaper than in any of the towns. just a thought.
Plus it would be equal distance from the other two Superchargers.
Plus it would be equal distance from the other two Superchargers.
Alphacrux
Member
“Someone is blocking Tesla from placing a supercharger in Fort Stockton”...
Paisano Pete?
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