Supercharger location vandalized and down for a week: need owner alert system

[ecarfan]

The Barstow California Supercharger has been reported as having been vandalized and it is currently shut down for repairs. Opening date unknown. See Supercharger - Barstow

This is an unusual event (but not unprecedented) for the Supercharging network. Tesla needs to implement some kind of owner alert system so that owners are aware of the situation before they get in their car and enter a navigation destination that requires the Barstow Supercharger. For the LA to Las Vegas trip, a very popular route, that Supercharger is essential. If Barstow is not available that means you have to drive 197 miles from Ranch Cucamonga to Primm with a major elevation gain and often headwinds. That's challenging to do in an 85 or 90 and impossible to do in a 60.

In situations where a Supercharger location is unavailable, Telsa could send a text and email alert to all owners within several hundred miles (300, 400, whatever) so they are aware of the issue and can make alternate plans if they were planning a trip using that location. The alert should also appear on the center display the first time someone gets into the car after the alert has been issued. Then another alert when the Supercharger location is is operational.

Last year in Montana I had the experience of arriving at a Supercharger, in this case the one in Superior MT, to find that it had no power. In fact power was out for the entire town (the Supercharger is located at a gas station, and alarmed ICE owners could not fuel their vehicles). I could not continue my trip without charging and there sure weren't even any L2 chargers in that tiny town. Fortunately power was restored about 15 minutes later. But it would have been helpful to have had some advance warning if possible.

 

[PRJIM]

In the past, Tesla has deployed the mobile Superchargers. Seems like a decent fix till these are back in working order.

 

[Lump]

Better have a fleet of flatbed tow trucks lined up at Barstow & lots of apologies.

 

[SageBrush]

Let's not forget an available jail cell with a 'friend' waiting

 

[Lump]

Let's not forget an available jail cell with a 'friend' waiting

Thats a comforting thought while riding in a flatbed for 2 hours.

 

[dhcp]

This is my biggest nightmare on a long trip - timing it to arrive with 10% battery left for the quick charge only to find the chargers down and no backup source.

Has this happened to anyone?

 

[ecarfan]

Has this happened to anyone?

See my story in my post that started this thread. I wasn't down to 10% but I recall I was pretty low and I absolutely had to charge to make it to the next Supercharger.

 

[David99]

This is my biggest nightmare on a long trip - timing it to arrive with 10% battery left for the quick charge only to find the chargers down and no backup source.

Has this happened to anyone?

Yes. Big snow storm in Texas. I had no idea the next Supercharger was out. I arrived with a decent buffer, but there was no way I could have made it to the next one or go back. There was a wide power outage so there was nothing I could reach that had power. I ended up spending 24 hours there, then Tesla sent me a flatbed which got me to the next Supercharger. They did it for free!

Now the car tells you when a Supercharger s out of service.

 

[ecarfan]

Now the car tells you when a Supercharger s out of service.

But not until you enter a nav route into the center display. Owners within 400 miles need to be notified of a non-functioning Supercharger location as soon as it goes down whether they are in their car or not. You don't want to learn about an out-of-service Supercharger when you sit in the driver's seat and enter a nav destination for a trip that you are going to start right then. That's too late.

 

[TexasEV]

But not until you enter a nav route into the center display. Owners within 400 miles need to be notified of a non-functioning Supercharger location as soon as it goes down whether they are in their car or not. You don't want to learn about an out-of-service Supercharger when you sit in the driver's seat and enter a nav destination for a trip that you are going to start right then. That's too late.

I don't know if that's a good idea. The vast majority of Tesla owners in an area getting texts or whatever about a supercharger they aren't going to? I think many will perceive that as annoying. If your trip is that time sensitive, you could check the nav map before you plan to start the trip.

 

[David99]

But not until you enter a nav route into the center display. Owners within 400 miles need to be notified of a non-functioning Supercharger location as soon as it goes down whether they are in their car or not. You don't want to learn about an out-of-service Supercharger when you sit in the driver's seat and enter a nav destination for a trip that you are going to start right then. That's too late.

I hear you, but honestly I don't really care about 95% of all Superchargers in the country. Actually I don't care about 100% Superchargers in general as I never use them unless I'm on a road trip. I think it's reasonable to expect a user to check the car's navigation system for Supercharger outages when the start planning a trip. Similar to closed roads. You don't need constant notifications about those unless you are actually going to use that road.

 

[Dithermaster]

I had a similar situation this last summer, driving up from Springfield, IL stopping at the Rockford, IL Supercharger. There were trees down and police directing traffic at the two stoplights you go through to get to the charger. I parked and wondered why the charge door would not open, and after manually opening it, wondered why the charge ring would not light up. Looking back at the dark intersection I finally made the connection between the power outage and the charger not working. The car's estimated range was really close to the distance we had to travel to Madison, but with the storms we didn't feel comfortable trying, so we used the free L2 in Janesville for half an hour and made it home safely.

I agree that the system should immediately notify in-transit drivers, and if the situation looks longer than an hour, might as well notify any drivers in a certain radius. Had we known Rockford was down we could have stopped at the Supercharger we bypassed.

 

[ThosEM]

I think it's reasonable to expect a user to check the car's navigation system for Supercharger outages when the start planning a trip. Similar to closed roads. You don't need constant notifications about those unless you are actually going to use that road.

What's your go to source for supercharger updates?

 

[ecarfan]

I don't know if that's a good idea. The vast majority of Tesla owners in an area getting texts or whatever about a supercharger they aren't going to? I think many will perceive that as annoying.

Tesla can make the "Supercharger Updates" text/email feature an "opt in". I know I would definitely opt in. You won't have to.

What's your go to source for supercharger updates?

Right now all we have is the in car nav but then only after we enter a route in the nav. I think we need something more than that.

 

[brkaus]

Maybe w current status page sorted by distance. But notifying everyone? No thank you.

Reminds me of the amber/silver alert system. First I heard of that was a 2am in the morning when my phone was beeping for a missing person 500+ mikes away.

 

[David99]

What's your go to source for supercharger updates?

The navigation system in the car shows if/when a Supercharger is out of service. When you plan a route, it will automatically find one that avoids it. You can also tap on the pin on the map and see it's status

 

[TexasEV]

The navigation system in the car shows if/when a Supercharger is out of service. When you plan a route, it will automatically find one that avoids it. You can also tap on the pin on the map and see it's status

Spoken like a true Californian. In most of the country there is no alternate supercharger route.

 

[mhan00]

I honestly don't know why Tesla doesn't already have a webpage built into their site for current owners with a list of SC and their current status. Seems like a no brainer and it shouldn't be too difficult when Tesla should already have that information at their own fingertips.

 

[Discoducky]

I'd be happy with something like what XBOX does for LIVE: Xbox Live Service Status

Expecting a full charge in 40 minutes vs 8 hours is entire day lost on a road trip and possibly a tow if no available power is nearby.

 

[Hugh Mannity]

This is my biggest nightmare on a long trip - timing it to arrive with 10% battery left for the quick charge only to find the chargers down and no backup source.

Has this happened to anyone?

Yep, me too. Was driving through KANSAS this summer and arrived with virtually no juice. A tornado had taken out power to the town we stopped in. I think it was Hays. We were prepared to sleep in the car when the power came back on, topped up and made it to our destination; late but we made it! That was an experience I hope I never experience again.