Supercharger - Napa, CA (EXPANDED Jun 2018, 12 V2 stalls)

[thecloud]

Thanks for the report! Looks like it was probably closed due to construction around the supercharger, rather than any change to the supercharger itself.

Just got back from a round trip to Healdsburg. We stopped at the Petaluma supercharger briefly to get enough juice for the return trip. (The SC is in a mall parking lot across the street from the Speedway / Fairgrounds, and it turns out there are races on Saturday nights.) With 3 other people in the car, I was distracted and didn't carefully document how many kW I was getting, but I did notice that it was bursty: would be around 50-60kW for a bit, then zoom up to over 100, then fall back down below 50, then ramp back up again. There were 2 other cars but none of us was in a paired stall with another car. When I thought about moving to another stall, the rate would suddenly go up again and cancel out that thought. Didn't have to stay too long in any case.

 

[napabill]

Just did a drive by and th

 

[napabill]

Cones are gone.

 

[ChrisJ]

This was probably the cause for the warning of reduced service.

Expect traffic delays on Devlin Road next week

Motorists should expect delays of up to 15 minutes on Friday, Aug. 26, on Devlin Road in front of the new Allied fuels station.


Workers will be placing a slurry seal on the asphalt from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., Napa County reported.

 

[Fedderman]

When I drove by yesterday (~11am and ~7:30pm), from the highway it appeared that the entrance was completely blocked.

 

[ChrisJ]

They're striping the whole lot today so expect intermittent access.

 

[silentsnow31802]

Who's at the supercharger right now!? I just drove by and swore I saw the matte black model 3 in the first stall. Please tell me I'm wrong because I didn't have time to stop.

 

[MarcG]

Any update on the convenience store opening date? I plan on stopping by this Saturday but would be nice to know ahead of time to plan accordingly.

 

[silentsnow31802]

Any update on the convenience store opening date? I plan on stopping by this Saturday but would be nice to know ahead of time to plan accordingly.

I dont know about dates but I can tell you it is not open yet. I would plan on it being closed for your trip just in case. I will update you if it does happen to open. I drive by it almost every day on my way to work.

 

[MarcG]

I dont know about dates but I can tell you it is not open yet. I would plan on it being closed for your trip just in case. I will update you if it does happen to open. I drive by it almost every day on my way to work.

Thanks for the info!

 

[ciparis]

This is a very disappointing spot in a region with so much promise for hosting an interesting shop/walkable Supercharger site. It was my wife's first supercharger experience, and it was a regrettable choice. Gas stations are a terrible fit.

 

[jeffro01]

This is a very disappointing spot in a region with so much promise for hosting an interesting shop/walkable Supercharger site. It was my wife's first supercharger experience, and it was a regrettable choice. Gas stations are a terrible fit.

That's not what superchargers are for... A gas station is a great location for them and you'll be seeing more and more supercharger installs at gas stations as time progresses. Superchargers are for enabling long distance travel, not for destination enjoyment. There are a number of wineries and such in Napa that have either Tesla destination EVSEs or J1772 stations if that's the experience you were looking for.

Jeff

 

[thecloud]

Superchargers are for enabling long distance travel, not for destination enjoyment.

While that may be true, it's nice when there is somewhere you can walk to spend the 30-60 minutes pleasantly/productively. Shops, food, points of interest -- these let long-distance travelers make good use of the time instead of sitting in the car drumming their fingers. Also, just getting out of the car for that length of time reduces stress and leaves you feeling less tired at the end of the trip.

Now, there's a tension here, which I think is at the heart of your comment: you have to make sure to be back just before the charge finishes, since people may be waiting in line. The mobile app will notify you, but I usually keep checking it every 5 minutes just to keep tabs on progress.

 

[ChrisJ]

The majority of Superchargers I've stopped at have very little nearby, or if there is something, they're often closed due to being after hours or just not being of interested.

Nearby is the Giant Grape Crusher Statue. In theory, it's walkable from the charger and is just 20 minutes / 1-mile away. You would turn left on Devlin, then left again Soscol Ferry, under the freeway and it's up on the hill. Be careful as it's mostly country roads without real sidewalks. Great views of the valley though and worth a stop even if you drive.

Napa, CA - Giant Grape Crusher Statue

And there are other trails in the adjacent area but I've not explored. Once the Circle-K opens or next time I see Stan the owner, I'll ask if any of them cross his property.

 

[ciparis]

Its helpful not to conflate what to do while you're charging with when you should be charging. Regardless of why you are charging, it is nice to have something to do. It also happens to be profitable to nearby businesses. In my travels across half of the country in bringing the Model S home to San Francisco, by far the most successful superchargers were the ones that had nearby businesses that you could visit while waiting for your charge to complete. A gas station is not such a destination.

 

[ciparis]

Its helpful not to conflate what to do while you're charging with when you should be charging. Regardless of why you are charging, it is nice to have something to do. It also happens to be profitable to nearby businesses. In my travels across half of the country in bringing the Model S home to San Francisco, by far the most successful superchargers were the ones that had nearby businesses that you could visit while waiting for your charge to complete. A gas station is not such a destination.

I should add: especially in Napa.

 

[Merrill]

There is a sign on the convience store that it will open November 1st.

 

[Doug Martoccia]

This is a very disappointing spot in a region with so much promise for hosting an interesting shop/walkable Supercharger site. It was my wife's first supercharger experience, and it was a regrettable choice. Gas stations are a terrible fit.

I completely agree. I've now visited 18 supercharger sites and the vast majority offer something interesting nearby. A gas station offers no amusement and is not a very desirable place to stop for a half hour.

 

[ChrisJ]

The gas station/mini mart soft opens this Friday (11-5-16)

 

[Khatsalano]

I completely agree. I've now visited 18 supercharger sites and the vast majority offer something interesting nearby. A gas station offers no amusement and is not a very desirable place to stop for a half hour.

Yup, this location was totally lackluster. Visited last weekend and it's just off-path and undesirable from a food/bathroom/waiting around perspective. Napa Premium Outlets would have been way more in-line with the Tesla experience.