Supercharger - San Mateo, CA - Park Place (LIVE, 8 V2 stalls)

[TR5642]

Are you referring to S60 owners or something else?

Common refrain around here. People pay a lot for the car but too cheap to pay for electricity (I prefer to think 'frugal' or 'thrifty') It isn't a problem with the SC bay to car ratio is better but sometimes it seems that every 5th car on the Peninsula is a Tesla lately. And not everyone has proper charging at home (took me 3 months to get set up)

 

[GoTslaGo]

OK, silly thing on my part. I clicked on the "play" button on your static picture. Of course it doesn't do anything. Then I realized that of course you wouldn't have posted a movie...it's a bunch of Teslas waiting for chargers in the Bay Area, of course nothing's moving.

Glad to see that it's not just me pushing the "play" button...

 

[doubleohwhat]

Common refrain around here. People pay a lot for the car but too cheap to pay for electricity (I prefer to think 'frugal' or 'thrifty') It isn't a problem with the SC bay to car ratio is better but sometimes it seems that every 5th car on the Peninsula is a Tesla lately. And not everyone has proper charging at home (took me 3 months to get set up)

Ah, gotcha. Yes, far too many people buy Teslas without having the ability to charge at home.

 

[ecarfan]

I have requested that this thread be merged with the existing thread about the San Mateo Supercharger at Supercharger - San Mateo

Please continue the discussion in that thread, where there are already numerous complaints about the crowding at that location.

 

[Boatguy]

Is the consensus that the congestion is from local owners who can't charge at home? I'm hard pressed to believe it's actually people trying to save money. Most people in that area value their time much more highly than saving $15 (50kWh * $.30) by spending an hour at an SC.

I'm late to the discussion, but there is a very real, and unaddressed, issue with respect to apartments and condos. It would benefit Telsa to confront the issue and create a solution. It's simply not the case that everyone lives in a single family dwelling where they can install an HPWC.

 

[EVie'sDad]

Is the consensus that the congestion is from local owners who can't charge at home? I'm hard pressed to believe it's actually people trying to save money. Most people in that area value their time much more highly than saving $15 (50kWh * $.30) by spending an hour at an SC.

I'm late to the discussion, but there is a very real, and unaddressed, issue with respect to apartments and condos. It would benefit Telsa to confront the issue and create a solution. It's simply not the case that everyone lives in a single family dwelling where they can install an HPWC.

Or it could just be locals (to the entire bay area) which also happens to have the highest concentration of Teslas in the world. This high concentration allows most Bay Area owners to easily hop over to San Mateo for a quick refuel with quite a few amenities nearby.

We are in the east bay and have visited most SCs in the bay area. including San Mateo. It has the added attraction of numerous diners, whole foods and dessert establishments, not to mention the gym in addition to the offered SCing. This makes it one of the more appealing locations locally, although we personally refrain from using the SC network unless we are travelling more than 100 miles or more, to allow those who truly need the charge to get preferential access on their extended journeys. We also refrain from using the Fremont #1 SC as it is still overrun with new deliveries and those still determined to get a free SC. I am certain though that the delay in Fremont #2 has only added to the congestion at Fremont #1 though.

We do not condone local SCing if one has access to alternatives at home or work, however if SCing is the only option, Musk has stated that it is acceptable for those Tesla owners without any immediate charging access living in condos or apartments to continue utilizing the SC network. We charge at home most of the time overnight and only at SC's while on road trips or touring the bay area.

Has anyone been over to San Mateo since introduction of the Idle billing and have you noticed a reduced congestion or change in users habits? Not going to argue the grace period, which I feel is appropriate in the areas with the most congestion. Just curious as to the effectiveness of this new policy, and looking forward to the sunset of lifetime free SCing post December.

Hopefully the adoption of the idle billing fee and the upcoming bill for charging (beyond 400kw/hr a year) will curtail the perceived abuse and have the desired effect Tesla was focusing on.

 

[Ulmo]

This is the closest Supercharger to my house, just a few miles. I am very glad I do not have to use it.

I started the day at 100% state of charge, drove straight to my doctor, then straight home, had to stop at San Mateo to SuperCharge, because my state of charge was at 2%. Am I considered a local driver, because I went from my home to my doctor and back?

Granted, they are the furthest away of my doctors (80 minute drive, + hill). Some are half that distance ~35-45 minutes away (+ hill), and some are only 15 minute drive away (no hill). I only go far for better service (and it is way better in that case).

 

[Chuq]

This is the closest Supercharger to my house, just a few miles. I am very glad I do not have to use it.

You haven't decided to add your home charger on to Plugshare for any travellers desperate for a quick top up?

 

[Chuq]

Granted, they are the furthest away of my doctors (80 minute drive, + hill).

Certainly counts as long distance to me! A perfect example of how the whole "prevent people from using SCs within x distance from their home" argument sounds simple but doesn't work in practice.

Now a better idea - suggest to your doctor that they install a destination charger. Sure, they may not be a restaurant or hotel, but they wouldn't be the first medical practitioner to do so!

 

[Lloyd]

80 amps at my office!!

 

[joebiker25]

Stopped by yesterday at 8 PM for the first time on my way back from downtown SF. NAV showed me getting home to with 4% charge so I decided to stop and charge for about 10 minutes. Every stall was full and all but 2 cars were unoccupied. I made it home by driving the speedlimit and turning the heat off. Never going back there again! Plus crappy, hard to find location in the dark

 

[miimura]

Stopped by yesterday at 8 PM for the first time on my way back from downtown SF. NAV showed me getting home to with 4% charge so I decided to stop and charge for about 10 minutes. Every stall was full and all but 2 cars were unoccupied. I made it home by driving the speedlimit and turning the heat off. Never going back there again! Plus crappy, hard to find location in the dark

A CHAdeMO adapter would have allowed you to go down to the underground parking and spend 10 minutes to get a nice buffer so you could drive home normally. No waiting for one of the four ChargePoint fast chargers down there. Price is reasonable at $0.25/kWh.

 

[CuriousG]

Stopped by yesterday at 8 PM for the first time on my way back from downtown SF. NAV showed me getting home to with 4% charge so I decided to stop and charge for about 10 minutes. Every stall was full and all but 2 cars were unoccupied. I made it home by driving the speedlimit and turning the heat off. Never going back there again! Plus crappy, hard to find location in the dark

Heh, I accidentally pressed San Mateo rather than Manteca when 8.0 first came out and ended up there. I was trying to follow directions from Nav and saw a Model X turn in another area. Model X barely beat me there after I was confused and got the last spot. Good thing I only had to wait about 5 minutes before a spot opened up. This was with an attendant there are the time don't know if they still have one. He was friendly and asked if it was my first time and and guided me through the proper protocol on where to wait for an open spot.

By the time I left there were at least 5 cars waiting so I only got enough charge until it told me it was enough to make it home. By that time, it was rush hour and I didn't make it home until 7:30PM. Given that I left the Bay Area about 1:30PM, it wasn't a fun that day.

 

[sorka]

HI was trying to follow directions from Nav and saw a Model X turn in another area. Model X barely beat me there after I was confused and got the last spot.

If they turned right into a parking lot before Saratoga drive, this is the shortcut allows you to cut through a different parking lot before coming out on Franklin that saves you about 30 seconds vs going around. The locals do this to cut off the long distance drivers that don't know this little trick.

 

[joebiker25]

I missed the first right turn and had to turn on Saratoga and go around the Whole Foods before finally locating the superchargers. Another Model S made the right before Saratoga in front of me and took the last spot!

 

[CuriousG]

If they turned right into a parking lot before Saratoga drive, this is the shortcut allows you to cut through a different parking lot before coming out on Franklin that saves you about 30 seconds vs going around. The locals do this to cut off the long distance drivers that don't know this little trick.

That must've been it. I saw it going through a parking lot and I was thinking that it wasn't going to the Supercharger. I haven't been to San Mateo in years so of course I was clueless. Plus the direction the Nav gives isn't always the most efficient route.

 

[sorka]

That must've been it. I saw it going through a parking lot and I was thinking that it wasn't going to the Supercharger. I haven't been to San Mateo in years so of course I was clueless. Plus the direction the Nav gives isn't always the most efficient route.

...right an the nav wouldn't have sent you that way anyways as it's through a parking lot. It's totally cheating

 

[Ulmo]

My regular work commute round trip this week is beyond my 60's range (starting at 100%), so my car told me I wouldn't make it to Santa Clara (appointment for service). So, I had to get off 280 to go all the way to low class 101 to charge at Whole Foods San Mateo SuperCharger.

1. It had 3 cars in line when I got there.
2. There was a taxi (TLC) in line waiting. They should never use SuperChargers unless they pay full price.
3. I went to the nearest fast charger Chademo. It is downstairs from the SuperCharger. It had no one there. There are four 125 Amp (>37kW-42kW on a 60) Chademo&Combo DC stations, ChargePoint, $0.25/kW, + $0.25/minute after first 60 minutes (no one needs that long unless charging more than around 40kWh).
4. There is literally no reason for anyone to wait in line upstairs when they can come downstairs and charge about as fast (usually faster) for very cheap, and no wait, unless they don't have Chademo, and if they use the Peninsula a lot, they should already have Chademo. Those waiting in line either are locals trying to steal, or dumb, or ignorant (me), or don't yet have their Chademo adapter & ChargePoint card. I got twice as much as I needed just in the time it took for me to write this message.

 

[miimura]

...
There is literally no reason for anyone to wait in line upstairs when they can come downstairs and charge about as fast (usually faster) for very cheap, and no wait, unless they don't have Chademo, and if they use the Peninsula a lot, they should already have Chademo. Those waiting in line either are locals trying to steal, or dumb, or ignorant (me), or don't yet have their Chademo adapter & ChargePoint card. I got twice as much as I needed just in the time it took for me to write this message.

I've been trying to tell people this very thing. If you value your time and you have a CHAdeMO adapter, using these is far better than waiting in line upstairs. The only gotcha is that there is no cell signal down there. If you don't have your ChargePoint card with you, it's a hassle to run over to the stairwell to start the charger with the app, then run back and plug it in.

This is only one of two sites in the Bay Area that has 4 dual standard 50kW chargers. The other is Lucky's on Mowry in Fremont. However, that site has much higher utilization because Nissan and BMW customers can charge for free there on their No-Charge-to-Charge plans. This one is simple pay-per-kWh at a very fair price.

 

[ReddyLeaf]

^^^^^Good info. Thanks. I'll remember to borrow a chademo adapter and charge point card for the next time I'm down that way (1000 mi from home) so that I don't compete with the "locals". On my last trip I was clueless about how bad things were and got lucky, only waiting about 10 minutes. Oh ya, I needed the charge.