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

[Cottonwood]

We may get lucky on this one as far as a transformer is concerned. They may.... MAY.... already have the power supply necessary. I'll ask and look for a transformer pad site when I visit this site again, but from my own pictures I don't see a pad or pad spot (conduit for one etc.) The view from the upper garage level is good and a closer picture may bring into view a pad spot!?!? I asked if I could go in the building, up to the 3rd or 4th floor for pictures, but no.... Limited access only! I don't have a drone...yet!... so pictures from the second story parking lot will probably provide the best view. Tenants, when asked by the landlord what they'd like to enhance their (lease?) replied they'd like a supercharger! Voila! ..... Companies CEO's own some TMS's!!! ..... Nice landlord!!!!!!!!

The size of transformer needed for an 8-stall Supercharger Site is enough power to feed 50 suburban homes or a 50,000 sq.ft. office building. Very few locations have that amount of excess capacity available. All Supercharger Sites followed on these threads (other than 2-stall, mobile Superchargers) have had their own, dedicated transformers installed.

 

[Klaus]

I've been there mostly during the day and for some reason I have not seen many cars over in that area. My "not-so-secret" parking area is the section just a bit closer to Whole Foods. I have always found a space there during the day, and kind of remember never seeing much over where the superchargers are. But I have seen cars there.

The Google satellite picture of the area shows cars in every spot at the SC construction site ...

 

[Xpress]

This going to be one crowded Supercharger...

 

[Owner]

Perhaps there has been a change of tenants in that building freeing up parking - depending upon the type of business?

For a few years I went to the Gold's Gym right next to that parking area (Gold's is no longer at that location). I would typically get there between 04:30 and 05:30PM and that area of the parking lot was always packed. Maybe it's no longer like that, but I anticipate problems.

 

[hmmm]

Tesla service centers in Palo Alto and Milbrae next to SFO are good backups in a pinch. There are plenty of Level II chargers in SF, although most if not all of the ones I know of require paying for parking in a garage. Also a tip: If you don't have a front license plate, I'd recommend you park in a garage because you can get a ticket parking on the street in SF without the front license plate.

^^ What he said re front license plate. I've gotten multiple tickets over the years (I'm stubborn...) and while it's a" fix it and show it" type of ticket that I think is only $10 once you put it back (vs $100+), it's still a pain in the arse.


Funny story: last time I was at the police station, the cop started by checking my rear plate...seeing my puzzled look, he explained that he got fooled once by a guy who had put his rear plate on the front and had no license plate in the back, but the cop only noticed when the guy drove off into the sunset.

 

[Tyl]

Looks like the utility transformer will be placed in front
of the distribution cabinets; see ground markings. My guess is that yellow bollards will be placed around it for protection. Directly below are the electrical feeds that MAY tie the electrical to the transformer. The UC's and what looks like the transformer location are directly above where the pedestal covers are being stored. I hope the pictures help visualize this. Also behind the wall where the broom is leaning are dumpsters etc.

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View attachment 81819

 

[ecarfan]

@Tyl, thanks for the great photos and the update. I was going to stop by there tomorrow to see the progress, but now there is no need

Looks like the construction phase could be done by the end of this month. Then of course we will have to wait for PG&E to turn it on...

 

[Tyl]

It's obvious where the superchargers will go but the Utility Cabinets? My guess is in between the Utility Transformer and the SC's themselves. Here are a few more views.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Supercharger - San Mateo (under construction, location confirmed)

Anyone done a donut run yet for the good folks doing the construction? I'll do that next weekend.

 

[daviddpd]

Anyone done a donut run yet for the good folks doing the construction? I'll do that next weekend.

This is awesome - just saw this thread and update today. I've been wondering why LA got so many urban supercharges and the Bay Area didn't. As everyone mentions, this is a very congested parking lot. And there are A LOT of Tesla's in this area. I'd bet this one could become one of the most used SC in the nation.

As far as donuts go .... a local San Mateo Donut shop, that is pretty close to the SC - they makes some great donuts - Golden Bell Donuts, 1500 East 3rd Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401.

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OH - also note ... this location is very near a police station. ALSO - the Red light traffic cameras are super sensitive in this area. $400-500 ticket. Please drive carefully and responsibility in the area.

 

[bwa]

Unfortunately I think that locations like this just encourage local charging. If I'm going to the grocery store and there is a free slot at the supercharger why not just plug in while I'm shopping? It's too hard for locals to resist, and as a result owners who really need to charge as part of a road trip may have to wait. That's what happened at the Outlet Mall in Gilroy and Tesla had to expand it from 4 to 10 stalls.

Since I'm not an owner, I feel like I have to have my opinion score less, but logic dictates that the Superchargers ought to be positioned to be useful for long distance travel and not useful for local travel for the vast majority of owners. Many of the SC's already follow this guideline. But there are some superurban areas where this is a bit more difficult, since you could easily run out of charge from a full SOC on a long distance trip that is entirely within one superurban footprint. If I were Tesla, I'd be tempted to position the SC's for MRY<->SFO around desolate areas like farmlands, mountains, etc., positioned to be out of the way of locals. It's not trying to be hurtful at all: it's just trying to target the purpose of the SC network to begin with, to make long distance travel a viable option for these electric cars, and not to subsidize regular home area trips (which ought to be charged at home and destination chargers).

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Anyone done a donut run yet for the good folks doing the construction? I'll do that next weekend.

Their wives usually load them up with hearty food, and most workers avoid deserts during work, but maybe they'd welcome something in between, like some fresh cut fruit, or one extra really good regular lunch item. Also, everyone has their own taste, so it's kinda hard to guess ...

 

[Khatsalano]

We live in San Mateo and shop here every weekend. This is super exciting, but I'm not sure locals like us will use this to charge. I have a beautiful HPWC at home and at $0.09 per kWh at night, it's simply not worth the hassle to restart the gas station habit of going somewhere to charge on the regular.

Will I use it once in a while? Maybe ... in the off chance that I just got back from Tahoe and need to charge up super quick for dinner in Silicon Valley. But then again, my HPWC (and dual chargers) will get me all the charge I need while I shower up for dinner. I see this as mainly a benefit for: renters in apartments (or condo dwellers with difficult HOAs) in the area, Tesla owners driving to the Peninsula for work from 100 miles out, then going home, or travelers coming through the Bay Area not on I5 or 880.

This is at 92/101 in the middle of the Peninsula, half way between SF and Silicon Valley. Of course this station will be super crowded, but not by locals. It will, however, be great marketing for Tesla to have eyeballs in front of a Whole Foods where most customers would be exactly the Tesla market demographic. Elon likes to say he doesn't believe in spending dollars on advertising ... he just did.

- K

 

[smartypnz]

Isn't there also a SC just up the 101 in Burlingame (approx 6 miles) at a service center?

 

[ecarfan]

Supercharger - San Mateo (under construction, location confirmed)

I believe there is one SC pedestal inside the Burlingame Service Center but it is not available for use by anyone who stops by looking for a quick charge.

 

[Khatsalano]

Burlingame has a bunch of HPWCs up front, 208V @ 64A. It is not on the charging map because these are for service customers and test-drive cars first. I've always found spots open when I go in for service so it's good in a pinch. But no accessible SC.

- K

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

The history behind that solitary Supercharging stall inside the Burlingame service center is that it was intended to be placed outside, in the last of the parking spots with the HPWCs out front. However, the ducting and heavy cable routing was going to cost well over $35,000 so, Tesla decided to drop the idea. That's what I was told by the sales manager there - he was previously my DS at the factory for the delivery of my S60 - when I spotted the stall inside the service bay.

 

[Tyl]

Jack hammering.... A lot of rebar has been set in place. Sign posts are in place. Pictures.

 

[ljwobker]

... I see this as mainly a benefit for: renters in apartments (or condo dwellers with difficult HOAs) in the area

- K

I think this alone will cause it to be heavily utilized. I'm one of these people - I drove my Model S from Raleigh NC to the Bay Area to start a new job out here, and I can't install a charging station where I rent. I don't drive all that much and when I do I usually end up going close enough to Fremont to charge there, but having one much much closer to me will be great. I can't imagine that I'm alone in this, so I'd expect this one to be very full very often.

 

[Khatsalano]

LJWobker, welcome to California. That's awesome that you'll find good use out of this SC.

I am a fan of SC use ... don't care if it's long distance, apartment-coping, or just getting free juice because someone feels good about not paying the $1.50 tonight at home. We paid for this infrastructure so let's use it and when others ask about the ownership experience at an SC, be a good ambassador for the advent of sustainable transport.

- K

 

[Ramon70D]

LJWobker, welcome to California. That's awesome that you'll find good use out of this SC.

I am a fan of SC use ... don't care if it's long distance, apartment-coping, or just getting free juice because someone feels good about not paying the $1.50 tonight at home. We paid for this infrastructure so let's use it and when others ask about the ownership experience at an SC, be a good ambassador for the advent of sustainable transport.

- K

Kendrick, I totally agree with you!