Supercharger - Kalispell, MT (under construction Apr 2024, 12 V3 stalls)

[StealthP3D]

Dang. This stinks that it was removed from the list. I would really like to take my LR M3 from Butte for Glacier trips, but if I'm just camping, or staying somewhere without at least a 14-50, then it's just not an option right now.

Wouldn't 30 amps be sufficient if you're staying overnight?

Does anyone think there is someone in Kalispell Planning or on the City Council that is anti-EV and stringing this along? I haven't followed it very closely but it sounded like someone at the City level was not happy with the exact location proposed by Tesla and since then it's just languished. What was there issue with the location proposed by Tesla?

What's going on? Doesn't Kalispell want to enter the 21st century? I lived in Whitefish for a year around 1989 and there were all kinds of movie and sports stars gobbling up land and I assumed it was an up and coming place. But, no, wo don't need none of them non-stinking cars around here!

 

[starman27]

Does anyone think there is someone in Kalispell Planning or on the City Council that is anti-EV and stringing this along? I haven't followed it very closely but it sounded like someone at the City level was not happy with the exact location proposed by Tesla and since then it's just languished. What was there issue with the location proposed by Tesla?

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Why wouldn't you want a captive audience near your local businesses? Anyone who votes against EV chargers nowadays is incredibly behind the times.

The fact that Tesla removed the pin from their map is very discouraging, to say the least.

 

[Rownolds]

It's not the planning dept or city council or county commissioners. They don't have to 'sign off' on it. There is no 'politics' about this.
FWIW, I have a 30 Amp charger in my garage in Kalispell and have charged travelers several times by running the cord under the door. Also, we have a 14-50 at our construction site in Hungry Horse that we've done the same with. Only trouble is that we often use it for the compressors between 9 AM and 4 PM. But for most people they're out driving then anyway. Anyone is welcome to use it or leave their car parked and we'll plug them in after the workday.

 

[alpinehijinx]

It's not the planning dept or city council or county commissioners. They don't have to 'sign off' on it. There is no 'politics' about this.
FWIW, I have a 30 Amp charger in my garage in Kalispell and have charged travelers several times by running the cord under the door. Also, we have a 14-50 at our construction site in Hungry Horse that we've done the same with. Only trouble is that we often use it for the compressors between 9 AM and 4 PM. But for most people they're out driving then anyway. Anyone is welcome to use it or leave their car parked and we'll plug them in after the workday.

That's really nice of you. This is the "Domes" I assume?

My hunch is that Tesla will bring Kalispell back due to the popularity of Glacier and the money flowing into this area--and MT in general. Once the BC-3 Crowsnest Highway and the Invermere sites are completed, this becomes a conspicuous N-S gap that I'd hope Tesla doesn't leave unfilled for long.

 

[mociaf9]

The fact that Tesla removed the pin from their map is very discouraging, to say the least.

I totally disagree. I think it's very encouraging. It's evidence that Tesla is treating their map more like a serious resource. Sites won't just languish on there as grey dots for years and years without progressing or having any real expectation of progressing. When the original plans that get a future location added to the map fall through then off it comes until they have a new plan to work to. That's excellent news. But it will mean the pins will be more volatile, being added, having the target date updated and moved earlier/later, getting removed and maybe later re-added, etc. All of it happening more often than in the past.

 

[Rownolds]

This is the "Domes" I assume?

My hunch is that Tesla will bring Kalispell back

Yes, the Domes! We hope to eventually offer at least one of them as a VRBO, as 'Tesla Friendly'

And I agree, the Flathead Valley is too perfect a spot for inclusion in the network to pass by. They'll get there. We all just need to be patient.

 

[starman27]

I totally disagree. I think it's very encouraging. It's evidence that Tesla is treating their map more like a serious resource. Sites won't just languish on there as grey dots for years and years without progressing or having any real expectation of progressing. When the original plans that get a future location added to the map fall through then off it comes until they have a new plan to work to. That's excellent news. But it will mean the pins will be more volatile, being added, having the target date updated and moved earlier/later, getting removed and maybe later re-added, etc. All of it happening more often than in the past.

I can agree with this perspective. I sure am glad they are trying to make it more accurate and the quarterly updates are really nice. Prior to 2021, the Find Us map was a bit misleading.

 

[darknavi]

Now with a similar mind set, maybe supercharge.info can update the icons with a "Canceled" state or something. I like having this conversation for context but keeping the blue dot is probably misleading.

 

[DMC5180]

Agreed! Since Tesla has removed the grey pin, the blue pin should be removed from SC.info too. However, I heard the only one with the permissions to remove pins was @BlueShift whom has pretty much left the community. Now the active site maintenance is done primarily by @MarcoRP @Chuq and a couple others that have rights to add or change pins but not delete them.

 

[PLUS EV]

Based on a history of unreliability of the Tesla supercharger map, I don't think it should have any impact on supercharge.info. It does appear that Teslas pins have become more reliable recently, but I would want more than a few months worth of proof that they really mean anything.

 

[MarcoRP]

Agreed! Since Tesla has removed the grey pin, the blue pin should be removed from SC.info too. However, I heard the only one with the permissions to remove pins was @BlueShift whom has pretty much left the community. Now the active site maintenance is done primarily by @MarcoRP @Chuq and a couple others that have rights to add or change pins but not delete them.

Not anymore. I believe @corywright has the authority to delete sites, so I’ll leave it to him if he wants to

 

[corywright]

Not anymore. I believe @corywright has the authority to delete sites, so I’ll leave it to him if he wants to

What's the consensus on removing the pin for Kalispell? @Chuq @MarcoRP @mociaf9

Seems like a similar situation to the Bethesda / Montgomery Mall pins.

 

[DMC5180]

What's the consensus on removing the pin for Kalispell? @Chuq @MarcoRP @mociaf9

Seems like a similar situation to the Bethesda / Montgomery Mall pins.

Honestly, it’s not just Kalispell. Both the Brighouse north and south appear to be dead locations in the UK. There are no Tesla Pins for those sites. But the construction cones have been on those for years now.

 

[im.thatoneguy]

I would go so far as to say that any In Progress database entry without any updates in 180 days gets wiped.

 

[alpinehijinx]

Spent some time around Kalispell/Glacier/Whitefish last week and was disappointed at what a charging desert it really is? First time I've ever L1 charged and it was, predictably, all but worthless. Had hoped to go back to WA via Eureka, then Libby, where I was planning to overnight charge at one of the two RV Parks in town (Woodland or Two-Bit). I even bought an old TT-30 adapter to do it. Sadly, neither place would allow tent camping nor would they allow us to camp in our car. Super lame and kind of unexpected that they'd turn down business simply because you don't have a goddamn RV? It felt pretty EV-hostile and the receptionists at both places audibly laughed when I told them we'd happily sleep in the car. Even with a SC in Kalispell, ABRP says that the direct route through Libby and back to the Coeur D'Alene SC isn't doable in my LRY without additional electrons. Has anyone tried this route or have suggestions on where you can L2 charge once you leave the Flathead Valley going north or west?

 

[tharasix]

I'm heading there in August. I have a reservation at the AirBnB in West Glacier that has a 14-50 (you can find it on PlugShare). I plan on getting there from Great Falls, and heading out from there to the west, either going to Superior or maybe getting a bump at the CHAdeMO in Polson.

 

[Tectonic]

Spent some time around Kalispell/Glacier/Whitefish last week and was disappointed at what a charging desert it really is? First time I've ever L1 charged and it was, predictably, all but worthless. Had hoped to go back to WA via Eureka, then Libby, where I was planning to overnight charge at one of the two RV Parks in town (Woodland or Two-Bit). I even bought an old TT-30 adapter to do it. Sadly, neither place would allow tent camping nor would they allow us to camp in our car. Super lame and kind of unexpected that they'd turn down business simply because you don't have a goddamn RV? It felt pretty EV-hostile and the receptionists at both places audibly laughed when I told them we'd happily sleep in the car. Even with a SC in Kalispell, ABRP says that the direct route through Libby and back to the Coeur D'Alene SC isn't doable in my LRY without additional electrons. Has anyone tried this route or have suggestions on where you can L2 charge once you leave the Flathead Valley going north or west?

Sorry the RV parks weren't more accommodating!

The best option for this route is charging at the recently installed CHAdeMO in Bonners Ferry (PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You), but of course that requires having the adapter. We recently did the route from Coeur D'Alene to Whitefish in a M3 SR+, though we went the slightly shorter way via US-2 rather than going through Eureka - with an LR MY, it should be no problem to take the longer route via Eureka. We charged up in Bonners Ferry and had no issues making it to Whitefish. Our plan B if the CHAdeMO didn't work was charging at one of the RV parks in Libby for an hour or 2 (I forget which one, but we called and they said it would be $5 to charge on a 14-50 outlet for a few hours (not overnight) - very reasonable, but perhaps they were nicer because it was my wife calling.

 

[smartypnz]

Coeur d"Alene is certainly doable from Kalispell. I even used backroads instead of the Interstate - arrived with 94 miles left. Found several L2's in Kalispell last year at motels. Was hoping for SpC (which was planned) to appear before trip, but turned out to be easy without.

 

[Raleel]

Even with a SC in Kalispell, ABRP says that the direct route through Libby and back to the Coeur D'Alene SC isn't doable in my LRY without additional electrons. Has anyone tried this route or have suggestions on where you can L2 charge once you leave the Flathead Valley going north or west?

Coeur d"Alene is certainly doable from Kalispell. I even used backroads instead of the Interstate - arrived with 94 miles left. Found several L2's in Kalispell last year at motels. Was hoping for SpC (which was planned) to appear before trip, but turned out to be easy without.

I agree with smartypnz, though I have an '18 3LR. it'll do it. ABRP gets me there with 14% left from 100% charge, but I also add in a 10mph headwind the whole way, 69F temp, an extra 700#, and 10% over the speed limit.

Not saying that's comfortable

 

[smartypnz]

Never considered the headwind, but I avoided the Interstate. Took 28 out of Kalispell to 200 then 471 into Idaho - became NF 9 to Pritchard where it followed the Coeur deAlene river. Joined I-90 at Kingston.
Spectacular drive and you will lose Nav in those valleys so be ready with your directions, but the experience is worth it. Range anxiety at its most.