Supercharger - Mountain Brook, AL

[ScottECH]

Just an aside on that Alabama ADECA announcement, thanks @Dirtman16 for adding all those to Plugshare! As the guy who does a lot of this for Georgia, I know it's a lot of drudgery and I appreciate you doing the behind the scenes work.

Don't hold your breath on these new ADECA-funded sites happening any time soon, like this year. These government-run efforts can take fooorrreevvveeeerrrr. For example, some North Carolina sites were announced like a full year ago and there's still nothing to show for them. I've heard they have like 18 months to complete, which is ludicrous when you compare to what Tesla is doing.

I agree. Government does two things best wasting people's time and their money. Im not going to call this a "win" for the Alabama public network over Tesla network until when they actually got a fair number of this units RELIABLY working.

 

[Dirtman16]

We'll, no big surprise, but no construction activity. I really wonder if this will wind up being an urban supercharger location. It's around a lot of shopping and apartments. Not super convenient to a pass through route.

 

[nogajim]

We'll, no big surprise, but no construction activity. I really wonder if this will wind up being an urban supercharger location. It's around a lot of shopping and apartments. Not super convenient to a pass through route.

View attachment 687668

The original post has documentation for 8 stalls, v3.

 

[N4HHE]

We'll, no big surprise, but no construction activity. I really wonder if this will wind up being an urban supercharger location. It's around a lot of shopping and apartments. Not super convenient to a pass through route.

As if Birmingham/Uptown, Bowling Green, or Louisville are “super convenient to a pass through route”? This is no worse.

 

[JPWhite]

, however cars do not fly.

Have you suggested this to Elon? ;-)

 

[Erichj]

Tesla just updated their Supercharger Map to show Mountain Brook opening in Q1, 2022.

 

[warren_ja]

I live in Birmingham and the Mountain Brook location is actually pretty convenient to I-20/59, maybe 4 minutes except for afternoon rush hour. It is still expressway after you get off I-20 except for the last 1/4 mile or so. And I think no more difficult than the existing Birmingham SC. It will be in the parking lot of a fairly new Greenwise/Publix but other good options close by. I have been to far worse SC locations nearby the interstate highway system!

 

[engr01]

It looks like a survey of the site has been done since the last site photo was shared here based on the markings on the parking lot. No sign of active construction yet.

 

[1speed]

To me, this looks like a place that will be ICE'd a lot.

 

[warren_ja]

I agree with the ICE potential. I went by the other day mid-afternoon and all 8 spots were full. These parking spaces are way to close to the store entrance and will very tempting for ICE drivers.

 

[engr01]

Temporary fencing has been delivered to the site. Maybe construction will start soon!

 

[engr01]

The supercharger is now under construction. Materials have been delivered, trenching is complete, and conduit and form work are underway.

@MarcoRP @corywright @Chuq

 

[oxfordms]

I agree with the ICE potential. I went by the other day mid-afternoon and all 8 spots were full. These parking spaces are way to close to the store entrance and will very tempting for ICE drivers.

Sorry, is this at the Publix Greenwise?

 

[oxfordms]

I agree with the ICE potential. I went by the other day mid-afternoon and all 8 spots were full. These parking spaces are way to close to the store entrance and will very tempting for ICE drivers.

Sorry, is this at the Publix Greenwise store?

 

[engr01]

Sorry, is this at the Publix Greenwise store?

Yes, between Publix Greenwise and the Grand Bohemian hotel / Lane Park apartments.

 

[PStewart]

As discussed on reddit and elsewhere on TMC, the State of Alabama recently announced 18 grants to bring EV charging stations in accordance with the long term state diesel-gate plan. Both linked below.

Gov. Ivey announces grants to install electric vehicle charging points in Alabama
Alabama EV Infrastructure Plan

"Charging units at Alabama corridor sites should be equipped with both the CCS and CHAdeMO connectors, which is an FHWA criteria, in order to be available to charge all EV models."

Ugh, wasting money on new CHAdeMO connectors. Well, government is good was wasting money.

 

[engr01]

Construction is progressing nicely, but there is still some additional work to complete.

 

[Melba Toast]

Construction is progressing nicely, but there is still some additional work to complete.

I don’t care much for pull in spots, but at this location it should help cut down on being ICE’d

 

[warren_ja]

I went by Thursday afternoon. Noticeable progress since the Wednesday photo. Lots of workers on site. There does not seem to be that much left to do.

 

[SucreTease]

The orientation in which these pedestals are mounted is going to be awkward and frustrate just about everyone who uses it. The supercharger handle is mounted on the side toward the front of the car. This means that you will have to step to the far side (toward the rear of the car) of the pedestal to be able to grab the handle and plug it in. But then you can't go back to your car door because the cord is now in front of you. So you will have to walk around the back of the pedestal, against the car next to you to go around the pedestal & cord.

On the second visit, one will try to avoid the above, and grab the handle with their right hand, then realize that won't work because the handle will be oriented wrong in the hand to plug it in, then transfer it to the left hand, make an awkward transfer back into the right hand oriented the other way, then plug it in.

This will all be very comical to watch, but eternally awkward to use.