DurandalAI
Member
If anything gets organized in Little Rock, please let me know via a message/conversation. I'd love to meet some local Tesla owners. Is there a local user group?
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Supercharger - Little Rock, AR
- Thread starter Bet TSLA
- Start date
cadurney
Member
Well, RazorTs would love to get something going. The LR SC opened up while I was on military duty, so we missed that opportunity. Let's have some suggestions on dates!
I made the trip from Monroe to Little Rock Supercharger and back last weekend. I left the Little Rock Supercharger with 203 miles. Made it to Monroe Supercharge with 15-20 miles to spare (I think). Average kW/mi was 272. Drove 65 mph from Little Rock to Pine Bluff. Drove 60 mph from Pine Bluff to south of Star City on 530. Obeyed speed limit the entire trip. I had the worst kW/mi between Little Rock and Pine Bluff. I should of charged more in Little Rock, but I knew I could make it.
MrWoolly
Member
Planned on calling in at the Little Rock supercharger last night having dropped someone off at the Little Rock airport. Good news, the charger was marked on the Navigation Map. So I selected it as the destination. Bad news. The navigation map in my 2013 Model S did NOT know how to navigate to the charger. It seems to think that there's an exit from I-30 that doesn't exist. The reroute after the non-existent intersection added at least another 3 miles to the trip.
If you're traveling South on I-30 you have to take the first exit for the Bass Pro Shop or you're trapped on I-30 for another 3 miles.
If you're traveling South on I-30 you have to take the first exit for the Bass Pro Shop or you're trapped on I-30 for another 3 miles.
ahurst
Member
Missile Toad
MSLR Wht/Blk/19 | OD 6/10/21 | RN11512
essmd
Phantom X
I struggled a few months ago between Texarkana and Memphis, after a quick detour to Hot Springs, I charged at the Holiday Inn Airport for 2.5 hours.
Another trip next month, so happy this is now open
Another trip next month, so happy this is now open
just put in a suggestion to Tesla about putting a supercharger in Ozark, AR at the I-40 Travel Center. The parking lot is huge and they already have level 2 chargers in place. It's at the junction of the Pig Trail to the U of A and I-40. It splits the distance between the Little Rock SC and the proposed SC in Henrietta, OK. They could conceivably omit building the chargers in Clarksville and Fort Smith. I know some have suggested the Cracker Barrel in Alma which is closer to the junction of I-40 and I-540. How big is the parking lot at the Cracker Barrel, could be an icing problem. Any opinions?
DurandalAI
Member
I had no idea that they already had L2 chargers there! That's awesome, especially for such a remote location.
MrWoolly
Member
To follow up from my earlier post, I wrote to the Supercharger team pointing out the issue and recommending that one has to take exit 128. Here's their reply.
"Hi Brodie,
Thank you for your email. We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced while navigating to the Little Rock Supercharger during your recent travels. We take your feedback seriously and we are looking into resolving this issue as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience and support in Tesla and our Supercharger technology.
Best Regards,
The Tesla Supercharger Team"
"Hi Brodie,
Thank you for your email. We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced while navigating to the Little Rock Supercharger during your recent travels. We take your feedback seriously and we are looking into resolving this issue as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience and support in Tesla and our Supercharger technology.
Best Regards,
The Tesla Supercharger Team"
I charged at Little Rock this evening around 6pm. First I tried 2B and was getting about 60 kW (starting at about 32% charge level). After about 5 minutes I decided to move to 1B to see if it was any faster - it started at around 65kW which was a bit better (the charge level was 40% by then). After another 13 minutes I decided to move to 4B because it was in the shade of the Tesla equipment enclosure, mainly so that the car was in the shade and I could stand next to it in the shade. It was delivering closer to 99kW.
Back at the hotel I've noted the actual stats from TeslaFi:
Max kW Avg kW Start SOC
2B 64.9 53.8 32%
1B 70.9 66.4 40%
4B 96.5 79.9 58%
So either 2B and 1B are malfunctioning or the heat is affecting them both, or being in the shade really helps 4B or a combination of all those factors.
Back at the hotel I've noted the actual stats from TeslaFi:
Max kW Avg kW Start SOC
2B 64.9 53.8 32%
1B 70.9 66.4 40%
4B 96.5 79.9 58%
So either 2B and 1B are malfunctioning or the heat is affecting them both, or being in the shade really helps 4B or a combination of all those factors.
My hypothesis is that the problem is the sun. I haven't been to the LR station, but the Bowling Green .. early in the morning I get 120kW ... by 2 in the PM best I can pull is 60 kW .. all other variables roughly consistent. The BG site sits directly in the afternoon (and morning) sun with zero shade. I once arrived at 2 PM to a totally unused location; all the handles were nearly too hot to touch. And the chargers delivered 50 at first and then dropped to 31 kW. SOC 20%, ambient temp 92F.
Tesla has been busy installing their Destination chargers at Arkansas hotels. Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs (8), Fairfield Inn and Suites in Benton (4), Wingate by Wyndham (6) and Residence Inn (4) in West Little Rock, Best Western Sherwood Inn and Suites (8) and Wingate by Wyndham (3) in North Little Rock. Also Pearcy Auto Sales (1) in West Memphis. All are up to 16 kws. Now if we can get some superchargers!
I just sent the following email to [email protected] :
I realize it doesn't seem a high priority, but as an almost 5 year Model S owner and 18 month Model X owner living in Southwest Missouri, we have identified a couple of major holes in the supercharger network that create serious logistical issues for us limiting our ability to travel East and South from the Springfield, MO area. While I appreciate that the relative density of Teslas is fairly low in this part of the US, not addressing the supercharging is a significant limiting factor to further sales in the area. The Springfield Tesla population has grown dramatically, but as people learn that travel to major destinations to the East such as Memphis, Nashville and Atlanta are impossible without several hours of additional drive time, and to Little Rock without being at very high risk of running out of battery, it is very difficult to see continued growth in this area.
To that end, I'd like to suggest the following:
1)West Plains, MO-I think a good location would be the Southern Hills Shopping Center at Hwy 63 and Preacher Roe Blvd., there's a hotel, a McDonalds, Walmart, etc. right on the main route to Memphis. It's a bit out of the way for Nashville still, but given the choice between West Plains and Poplar Bluff, I think West Plains would be the better option.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Nix...15601ab6fe!2m2!1d-90.0489801!2d35.1495343!3e0
2)Conway, AR- This allows for both North/South travel from the Branson/Springfield area and for the I-40 travelers from Tulsa, Joplin and Fayetteville to/from Little Rock.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Nix...15601ab6fe!2m2!1d-90.0489801!2d35.1495343!3e0
I know there are a million requests. I'd appreciate if you'd take my long time experience and loyalty to Tesla into serious consideration in prioritizing growth of the Network.
alderct
Member
Well stated, Evan. I'm still confounded that Tesla has failed to put the one or two additional SCs along I-40 in Arkansas and Oklahoma to close off that corridor. It seems odd compared to the intentional strategy they've employed this year to finish out I-10 across the southwest. I agree that our part of the country is "fly over" and not dense in Tesla's, but it feels like a missed opportunity in even basic messaging for Tesla to note that customers can *truly* get most anywhere in their vehicles.
Evan, will be interested in Tesla's response. Hopefully not just one of their typical form letters. Due to the dramatically increased rate of SC openings recently I am optimistic that I-40 will get finished in the next 6 months. (I think they opened 26 new superchargers in the US last month.) We just recently sold our 2014 model S 85 to a graduate student in town and bought a new Model S 100d (335 mile range). I now feel confident I can travel anywhere in the state and get home without having to make charging arrangements at our destinations. Northeast and southeast Arkansas will still be problem areas in the coming years.
I email them about once every 6 months..it will be a pretty generic response...but I persist.
Google-fastest Supercharger-Supercharger:
- Springfield, MO to Atlanta, GA or Nashville, TN takes US-60 through Miner, MO.
- Little Rock, AR to St Louis, MO takes US-167 and US-67.
- Springfield, MO to Memphis, TN takes US-63.
- Springfield, MO to Little Rock, AR takes US-65.
Hmm. A whole lot of hole you got there.
So, in addition to completion of I-40, I'd be arguing fo(u)r:
- Willow Springs, MO
- Poplar Bluff, MO
- Walnut Ridge, AR
- Harrison, AR
Then the quadrilateral of Springfield, MO, St Louis, MO, Little Rock, AR and Memphis, TN would be covered.
DurandalAI
Member
I didn’t think the LR placement was ideal. NLR for the I40 corridor would have been best, in my opinion, but what do I know. Hopefully they get one in Clarksville soon, I would need it for travel to Fayetteville and Tulsa. I would preferred standard range battery Model 3, but if they don’t have a supercharger in Clarksville by April when I configure, I may have to spend that extra $9,000. I would much rather get autopilot.
The SGF to Minor, MO is ALMOST doable--244 miles....if conditions are perfect, if you stay below the speed limit, if there are no delays, if the weather is mild, if you start with a full charge, if you don't have a full vehicle, etc. etc. But in reality not worth the risk and the only interim charging options (RV parks essentially) are going to delay you at least an hour if you can find one with a good 50amp outlet and they'll let you use it.
While Walnut Ridge is, geographically, a good location, there's nothing there. Jonesboro would be better for amenities, but at 217 miles that puts anyone with a 60 or 75kWh pack out of range. I think these logistical frustrations are part of why Tesla has put this area on the back burner.
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