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

[ReddyLeaf]

These are all I90 sites. Bonners Ferry doesn’t fit that. Guessing there isn’t a lot of traffic from CdA north to Canada where Tesla would benefit from putting in the infrastructure. What reason would you give Tesla to build there? I am not familiar with the area at all so no idea why anyone would make that drive.

Really wish they'd put one in Bonners Ferry too, just for some extra comfort in the winter.

FYI, I just drove through, from CdA to Creston/Cranbrook, and saw several Teslas. That said, it will be a LONG time before Tesla needs to put any charging in this area (just drive though and you’ll know what I mean). There is a ChargePoint DCQC CCS-Chademo at the Bonner’s Ferry Visitor’s center (and restrooms open when the visitors center isn’t). Didn’t need it, but saw it during my lunch break before the border. However, on highway 3 in Canada, I was constantly passing Teslas and even charged at a full (6) SC in Castlegar.

Edit: Also, several FLO chargers are non-operational in Canada, though I’m not sure why. I was planning to go off the SC-grid using BC Hydro and/or FLO chargers and a Chademo adapter, but now I’m not sure about it. I have the BC Hydro app, but was unable to have an RFID card sent before leaving on my vacation. Interestingly, their website doesn’t accept US addresses. Five years ago, I had cards sent on ahead to canadian B&B, but this year I’m not planning as well. Also, those cards from five years ago are no longer valid. Meanwhile, my 2015 MS70D still plugs in and charges at all US and Canadian superchargers. Just another confirmation that EV travel is not possible. Strange. /s

 

[scottf200]

FYI, I just drove through, from CdA to Creston/Cranbrook, and saw several Teslas. That said, it will be a LONG time before Tesla needs to put any charging in this area (just drive though and you’ll know what I mean). There is a ChargePoint DCQC CCS-Chademo at the Bonner’s Ferry Visitor’s center (and restrooms open when the visitors center isn’t). Didn’t need it, but saw it during my lunch break before the border. However, on highway 3 in Canada, I was constantly passing Teslas and even charged at a full (6) SC in Castlegar.

Just used supercharge.info maps to get a better idea of the area scope.

 

[Mrbrock]

US Highway 2

Also, Kalispell is not on I-90.

Yes, it isn’t on 90. I was generalizing the rest of the Town Pump locations.

However, US2 isn’t a reason alone for Tesla to install a site. Are people doing Spokane to Calgary that frequently? Or Fernie or Cranbrook? Cranbrook is 185 miles from Spokane so pushing it for older and SR cars but is the demand there?

 

[Johnny Vector]

Yes, it isn’t on 90. I was generalizing the rest of the Town Pump locations.

However, US2 isn’t a reason alone for Tesla to install a site. Are people doing Spokane to Calgary that frequently? Or Fernie or Cranbrook? Cranbrook is 185 miles from Spokane so pushing it for older and SR cars but is the demand there?

It's not about US2. Nearly 3 million people visited western Glacier National Park last year.

 

[scottf200]

It's not about US2. Nearly 3 million people visited western Glacier National Park last year.

Bingo

 

[Mrbrock]

It's not about US2. Nearly 3 million people visited western Glacier National Park last year.

I’m still trying to understand this in relation to Bonners Ferry. Forgive me as I am new to the Northwest. You are saying 3 million people drove through Bonners Ferry to visit Glacier National park (please follow the conversation)? Wont the Supercharger In Kalispell solve that? Is the 33 miles from Kalispell to West Glacier going to prevent people visit the park from seeing any place? Where are people coming from to go through Bonners Ferry to go somewhere?

 

[WadeMT]

I’m still trying to understand this in relation to Bonners Ferry. Forgive me as I am new to the Northwest. You are saying 3 million people drove through Bonners Ferry to visit Glacier National park (please follow the conversation)? Wont the Supercharger In Kalispell solve that? Is the 33 miles from Kalispell to West Glacier going to prevent people visit the park from seeing any place? Where are people coming from to go through Bonners Ferry to go somewhere?

People drive through BF on the way to and from that part of BC and between MT and WA. Lots of people take US Hwy 2 through BF. Eventually US2 will have superchargers across MT and ND. It’s only a matter of time. 5 years from now, they will be there. Case in point: Minot, ND.

Also, 3 million + people visit GNP per year. It’s a very popular destination. Whitefish, MT is a very popular ski and summer destination. People use US2 and US93, arriving from north, south, east, and west. There are about 600 teslas registered in Flathead county, which has a total population of about 100,000. I see other teslas (multiple) every day I’m on the road, including winter. 5 years ago that was rare. Most neighborhoods have more than 1 Tesla.

 

[Mrbrock]

People drive through BF on the way to and from that part of BC and between MT and WA. Lots of people take US Hwy 2 through BF. Eventually US2 will have superchargers across MT and ND. It’s only a matter of time. 5 years from now, they will be there. Case in point: Minot, ND.

Also, 3 million + people visit GNP per year. It’s a very popular destination. Whitefish, MT is a very popular ski and summer destination. People use US2 and US93, arriving from north, south, east, and west. There are about 600 teslas registered in Flathead county, which has a total population of about 100,000. I see other teslas (multiple) every day I’m on the road, including winter. 5 years ago that was rare. Most neighborhoods have more than 1 Tesla.

Thank you for that explanation. It gives a little more insight into the situation. And sounds like the chamber of commerce pitch. However, registered teslas per capita is not how superchargers are positioned. Superchargers are for travel. If Tesla thought this was a hotspot needing a station because of all the teslas they see in the area they would have put one in long before now.

As for as BF travel, that goes along the same theory. Just because lots of people travel that route (seems pretty circuitous to an outsider), doesn’t mean a lot of teslas travel that route that need a supercharger to make it possible.

At the very base of this is that if BF was such a hotspot for travel in the area with people needing to stop for some type of service, the city would have more than 2500 residents and there would be more than 1 chargepoint station and an RV park as charging options. Supply follows demand.

 

[BagheeraNY]

Thank you for that explanation. It gives a little more insight into the situation. And sounds like the chamber of commerce pitch. However, registered teslas per capita is not how superchargers are positioned. Superchargers are for travel. If Tesla thought this was a hotspot needing a station because of all the teslas they see in the area they would have put one in long before now.

As for as BF travel, that goes along the same theory. Just because lots of people travel that route (seems pretty circuitous to an outsider), doesn’t mean a lot of teslas travel that route that need a supercharger to make it possible.

At the very base of this is that if BF was such a hotspot for travel in the area with people needing to stop for some type of service, the city would have more than 2500 residents and there would be more than 1 chargepoint station and an RV park as charging options. Supply follows demand.

I would bet that you’ll see Tesla traffic dramatically increase at Glacier once the Kalispell SC is online. Even though one can go to Glacier right now with a Tesla, it requires some planning that includes charging without the SC network. While this isn’t a barrier for many on this forum, it certainly is for a lot of people and they opt to take their other car to Glacier rather than having to plan out the charging. The more SC in the area the better, especially if they will be V4 and open to all.

 

[Raleel]

I would guess they recognized a need long ago and didn’t have a partner willing to meet their requirements until now and/or they had greater need in other areas. Remember, Kalispell had a long rumored SC going in at a grocery store, then it died off without seeing a plan for it.

I’m reminded of the Shelby one, which was to be, then the city said Tesla can buy the land if they want to build and Tesla seemed uninterested in that, then Shelby was no longer on the table. Tesla certainly could have bought the land, but appear to have no interest. No one else is willing to give up their parking for Tesla, and thus we have no supercharger in Shelby.

We just got lucky that Town Pump’s interests align, I think.

 

[WadeMT]

Thank you for that explanation. It gives a little more insight into the situation. And sounds like the chamber of commerce pitch. However, registered teslas per capita is not how superchargers are positioned. Superchargers are for travel. If Tesla thought this was a hotspot needing a station because of all the teslas they see in the area they would have put one in long before now.

As for as BF travel, that goes along the same theory. Just because lots of people travel that route (seems pretty circuitous to an outsider), doesn’t mean a lot of teslas travel that route that need a supercharger to make it possible.

At the very base of this is that if BF was such a hotspot for travel in the area with people needing to stop for some type of service, the city would have more than 2500 residents and there would be more than 1 chargepoint station and an RV park as charging options. Supply follows demand.

Tesla has wanted a supercharger in the Flathead for 5 years or more. Tesla does a long term lease with an owner of a parking lot, and the only compensation to the owner is the promise of business. In many areas, especially small towns, owners are skeptical of the added business traffic. But Tesla also wants to have a good location, so in this case it took a long time to align an owner and Tesla to ink a deal. I’m glad it finally happened.

 

[alpinehijinx]

Thank you for that explanation. It gives a little more insight into the situation. And sounds like the chamber of commerce pitch. However, registered teslas per capita is not how superchargers are positioned. Superchargers are for travel. If Tesla thought this was a hotspot needing a station because of all the teslas they see in the area they would have put one in long before now.

As for as BF travel, that goes along the same theory. Just because lots of people travel that route (seems pretty circuitous to an outsider), doesn’t mean a lot of teslas travel that route that need a supercharger to make it possible.

At the very base of this is that if BF was such a hotspot for travel in the area with people needing to stop for some type of service, the city would have more than 2500 residents and there would be more than 1 chargepoint station and an RV park as charging options. Supply follows demand.

Two years ago we drove to Whitefish/Kalispell/Glacier. Wanted to drive back through Eureka and along Lake Koocanusa to go climbing. BF has a ChargePoint CCS but at the time it was impossible to get the adapter without buying through the S Korean vendor. Instead, we tried to overnight at an RV Park in Libby but all the campgrounds were EV hostile and said “no RV no stay” (after I’d bought a TT-30 adapter). So, the margin was just too close so we skipped the whole leg, 120V wall charged in Kalispell and then returned to our last SC in Superior. Trip would’ve been markedly different and doable through BF (and on to CdL) with a Flathead-area SC. Big fan of this one and would love to see another in BF open up new territory. But hell, this whole discussion about charging hardship in Montana is laughable now that I live in Alaska where I’d settle for a SC anywhere.

 

[Mrbrock]

Two years ago we drove to Whitefish/Kalispell/Glacier. Wanted to drive back through Eureka and along Lake Koocanusa to go climbing. BF has a ChargePoint CCS but at the time it was impossible to get the adapter without buying through the S Korean vendor. Instead, we tried to overnight at an RV Park in Libby but all the campgrounds were EV hostile and said “no RV no stay” (after I’d bought a TT-30 adapter). So, the margin was just too close so we skipped the whole leg, 120V wall charged in Kalispell and then returned to our last SC in Superior. Trip would’ve been markedly different and doable through BF (and on to CdL) with a Flathead-area SC. Big fan of this one and would love to see another in BF open up new territory. But hell, this whole discussion about charging hardship in Montana is laughable now that I live in Alaska where I’d settle for a SC anywhere.

This is the stuff Tesla needs to consider. They analyze data of where cars go but due to lack of infrastructure there’s just some places you can’t go so the data says no one goes there.

 

[Rocky_H]

and the only compensation to the owner is the promise of business.

I really don't think that's true. Most businesses I don't think would go for such hypothetical benefit. I think in most places Tesla is paying some amount of actual rental type of money for having the Supercharger there.

 

[Mrbrock]

I really don't think that's true. Most businesses I don't think would go for such hypothetical benefit. I think in most places Tesla is paying some amount of actual rental type of money for having the Supercharger there.

I think they sign $1 leases for the vast majority of sites if they can’t buy outright for pennies (empty lots). Maybe for some empty lots they pay rent but definitely not in shopping centers and the like. They aren’t in the real estate business so the less money paid out, the better. They are already fronting costs for all the equipment and installation. If you look at some of the public agreements with cities, they definitely aren’t lying any noticeable rent. 10 year terms with option to renew for another 5-10 are the standard.

 

[MacNeil]

I see that Kalispell is now on Tesla's "Find Us" map with a projected date of Q4 2023. I don't recall in being on the map previously but could be mistaken on that point.

 

[Mrbrock]

I see that Kalispell is now on Tesla's "Find Us" map with a projected date of Q4 2023. I don't recall in being on the map previously but could be mistaken on that point.

They announced it on twitter so it had to wind up there sooner or later.

And Tesla usually doesn’t have permits issued until they are within a month or two of being ready to start construction. Or right when they start so barringnissues, this should be a Q2 or Q3 build.

 

[Spokehockey]

These are all I90 sites. Bonners Ferry doesn’t fit that. Guessing there isn’t a lot of traffic from CdA north to Canada where Tesla would benefit from putting in the infrastructure. What reason would you give Tesla to build there? I am not familiar with the area at all so no idea why anyone would make that drive.

Kalispell is most definitely not an I-90 site... And I 100% agree. We made the drive several times from Spokane to Cranbrook, BC last winter. We have to charge up to 100% in Coeur d' Alene to get there in the cold and arrive in Cranbrook around 10%. You really think people aren't driving to Cranbrook, Calgary, Edmonton, etc...? I do think Sandpoint would be better than Bonners though. Would also make it possible to come back to Spokane that direction from Glacier instead of to I-90. Also would really like to see SC's in Newport, Colville, and Grand Coulee. That would really open up the other routes to BC.

 

[Raleel]

Bonner’s Ferry near perfectly splits the distance from CdA to Cranbook and is at the intersection of two highways. Logical spot for going form Kalispell along that route (which is a really really gorgeous drive). Three mile Cafe is right the right spot with incentive, plenty of parking and place for it.

 

[darknavi]

Sorry to start a philosophical debate on the merits of Bonner's Ferry

My reasoning is that we often drive from CdA to Kalispell along HWY 2 and in the winter it is a stretch. You need 100% fill up in CdA and you need a LR (no SR or SR+) in order to not charge. In the summer it's not a bad stretch (assuming you have a place to charge when you get to Kalispell).

Bonner's Ferry does have a single CCS1 plug which is nice, but something with a little more confidence (Super charger) would also be nice.