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Supercharger - Kalispell, MT (under construction Apr 2024, 12 V3 stalls)
- Thread starter RobertSeattle
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- montana supercharger
What?! They are still so rare, I thought they never sold for less than 3 or 4 hundred dollars still.
Mrbrock
Active Member
Hoping this is #sarcasm
Tesla still selling for $250 though.
CCS Combo 1 Adapter
Expand your fast charging options with the Tesla CCS Combo 1 Adapter. The adapter offers charging speeds up to 250kW and can be used at third-party charging networks. The CCS Combo 1 Adapter is compatible with most Tesla vehicles. Some vehicles may require a retrofit to enable use of the CCS...
shop.tesla.com
Oh, not sarcasm. I just mixed up what was being referred to. I was jumping back and forth between different threads, and I thought this was talking about the discontinued CHAdeMO adapter.
Idk, passing 500+ Amps through a $60 Amazon adapter gives me the heebie jeebies.
Mrbrock
Active Member
Agreed, but if the alternative is you don’t want to spend $250 so therefore nothing, maybe you try it out.Idk, passing 500+ Amps through a $60 Amazon adapter gives me the heebie jeebies.
StealthP3D
Well-Known Member
the hundreds
1. numbers between 100 and 1,000: 2. numbers between 100 and 1,000:dictionary.cambridge.org
I believe most people would agree with Cambridge and consider anything over 100 to be “in the hundreds”. not so far away from over 80.
It has been proven how competent Blackstone is by the fact that Tesla continues to pay them lots of money to install sites when they could easily find another contractor if they were incompetent.
You asked for hard data and you got it and still dismissed it because it didn’t meet your definition of 100s. You then later say you already knew about them and had the data on hand so why ask for it? It seems like you just want to start an argument for arguments sake. That is not helpful here.
If you had provided your data that you had already researched, this statement means a lot more. Otherwise you are just claiming someone’s statement is false without any data to back it up. Your whole string of comments sounded like you had no idea who the contractor was and that they must be incompetent because the site has been built. Pretty harsh accusations.
You've obviously misread the situation. The only reason I asked for "hard data" was to support the wild claim that was thrown out that Blackstone had installed hundreds of Supercharger sites. 80 is a far cry from hundreds.
Yet we still have people trying to turn 100-200 into "hundreds", even though they haven't even completed 100. It's a false narrative and I was justified in asking for supporting data. Nobody is beyond reproach here.
But my main point was that past performance does not guarantee future performance. And that we have no idea why it's taking 6 years to install a single Supercharger site. Keep in mind, the entire company doesn't need to be in on it for the problem to originate with Blackstone. It could be a single corrupt employee, it could be the electrical utility, We just don't know and there are too many people jumping to unwarranted conclusions here. There is a distinct lack of concrete evidence as to what the real holdup is. One possibility is that Blackstone had to fire one of their project managers and replace him/her with someone who would "get 'er done". The whole organization does not need to be in on it for the problem to originate with Blackstone.
StealthP3D
Well-Known Member
I probably wouldn't own an EV in Alaska for some time to come, if the use case was to travel outside the natural range of home charging. And you will be surprised how quickly the third-party stations start installing all their new chargers with at least one NACS cable. The adapters will quickly become relics. And keep in mind, a few people continue to use relics, long after they have become relics. Witness the few people who still used flip phones after 2020.
I've done just fine without an adapter to fast charge from CCS, and without user accounts at third-party charge companies for 6 years of EV motoring, so I'm not about to add a soon to be archaic tool.
Don't get me wrong, six years ago I would have taken any charger I could find. The problem was I tried to get them to release their electrons into my car twice, on two different Level 2 charge networks, and could never get them to work. I found the experience so tedious and frustrating, I vowed to only use charge solutions that did not require payment validation using credit cards, phone apps and user accounts (other than the one built into my car). And with the speed of the build-out of the Supercharger Network, it has only gotten better every year.
You might be surprised how many use cases can be satisfied using only Superchargers and free level 2 destination charging with a J1772 adapter. I'm not speaking to those who have use cases that benefit from CCS adapters, if you need them, use them. If they improve your life, use them. I'm just saying I'm happier not getting sucked into that mess. I don't need that in my life and every year that just becomes more obvious.
For the sake of accuracy, your request for “hard data” (post #368) was made before my claim of how many Superchargers Blackstone has built (post #369).
Let’s get back to the Kalispell discussion, shall we?
$60 isn't too much to pay for the convenience of DCFC at CCS chargers. With how few you're likely to use, the risk doesn't seem too bad.
WadeMT
Member
I bought a CCS adapter on Amazon and it’s worked great for me. I used it in Seeley Lake MT and Waterton AB. And these chargers are dispensing about 100 amps. 50kw. But if you’re driving from your house in the Flathead up to Waterton, you need a charge. Have a glass of wine with lunch and you’ll be back to 80%.
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WadeMT
Member
I’m going to add a bigger picture observation. I’m in Uruguay right now, cycling from Buenos Aires. Around Punta del Este I’ve seen a dozen Teslas.
When I look at the PlugShare app, you could drive from Buenos Aires to Sao Paolo Brazil via Uruguay entirely with CCS. That would be an awesome road trip!
And BYD is killing it in South America. Tesla just started operations in Santiago de Chile. There are lots of cars down here lol.
All quiet on the Western front. Nothing going on. Will be out and about checking on the Western US progress. 
Everyone.
Everyone.
StealthP3D
Well-Known Member
Apparently, the install permit was issued in January of 2023, but there is not much to discuss.
The snow has melted, Spring has sprung, no construction is happening.
I'm not one to typically say "sure hope this is open by...", but I'm doing it this time. I have trip planned for mid September to Kalispell, and having this open would be great! It plugs a nice hole in the region and presumably will at least include MagicDock retrofit if not be v4 posts from day one. Looking back at the history of the thread, it looks like the partial site plans disclosed show 2 PSU's with posts near-centered which makes both a possibility.
StealthP3D
Well-Known Member
Yes, Tesla selected Flathead Valley as a desirable Supercharger location back in the Spring of 2018. Apparently, they are having trouble making it happen in less than 6 years. I know couples who have created a family of 7 from scratch in less time. I guess there have been a lot of scheduling issues with contractors.
I do think 2024 is the year, hopefully it's a spring install, not late summer. I wonder how long the January 2023 permit is valid for. Most permits I'm familiar with have expirations if the contractor doesn't commence the work in a timely fashion. Have they already let their most recent permit expire?
Mrbrock
Active Member
I really doubt it will have magic dock with the opening of the network. Other makes are releasing adapters (some for free) so why invest money in magic docks? As far as we have heard, none of the V4 sites have the ability to activate the built in magic docks yet (any may never).
I do agree deploy MagicDock to existing v3 sites will be limited going forward. But v4 posts include it, and I don't see any reason why Tesla would not enable it's use. Time will tell.
StealthP3D
Well-Known Member
Tesla puts being efficient with their capital as a priority. That's how they were able to build a world class DCFC network as a struggling startup, short charge cords and all.
Most EVs in N. America already have NACS charge ports, the rest will soon follow. Most of those that have CCS ports are getting mailed free NACS adapters. Now tell me how much sense it makes to keep installing Magic Docks! It's a no-brainer, no more magic docks, NACS has graduated from the defacto N. American charge standard to the recognized N. American charge standard. CCS is dead in N. America.
The weather looks good to break ground in Kalispell. Supercharger construction in Flathead Valley has been delayed so long, it makes sense for the contractor to give it priority. But the question remains, did the contractor let the permit expire?
WadeMT
Member
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