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Supercharger - Santa Monica, CA (LIVE 18 Feb 2022, 62 V3 stalls)

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I’d like to see a pilot program for higher idle fees and can think of no better location at which to launch said pilot than this roller skate drive-in SC location.

How much higher? Keep the $24/hr current level until an owner exceeds 60 minutes of idle time. Then step up idle fees for all of that owner’s vehicles to $60/hr until 120 minutes of idle time accrues - then bump it to $5/minute from that $1/minute and the current $0.40/minute rates.

ICEing by our own aside, neverminding for a moment that this very malaise is the #1 challenge for SC optimization, my question is this:

How does Tesla keep ICEs out of the drive-in restaurant SC stalls 24/7? Tesla is going to have to step up its signage and stall painting games in a big way. Or perhaps they add an access gate, the code for which will be included in the Nav pop-up for this location. Or a combination of all 3 (signage including municipal no parking signs, and tow company signs, along with a whole bunch of green paint and the physical barrier) *plus* on site security similar to what’s at the SpaceX SC.

It’s a bit of a challenge since you want the restaurant to do as well as possible - especially given the Santa Monica rent and taxes, but can’t ICE the stalls either.

Take a look at the Culver City red paint and Tesla will be fine. And zero evidence that current fee structure isn't getting the job done.

I drive by this location multiple times per week and there's still nothing doing :-(
 
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Take a look at the Culver City red paint and Tesla will be fine. And zero evidence that current fee structure isn't getting the job done.

I drive by this location multiple times per week and there's still nothing doing :-(

The two things they did right with Culver City were locating it as far away from the mall as possible, and offering (at least at one time) valet charging service - thus facilitating the property manager's plea for people to "come in, have dinner, stay awhile", while still figuring out how to accommodate the Tesla representative's claim that you can "get in, get out, and get on your way". The valet service to move your chariot out of a charging space when the charge is complete being the key differentiator.

Santa Monica, by contrast, will be at a busy intersection *and* at a restaurant as well. So unless they don't advertise the location *as a restaurant*, they'll have disproportionate ICEing risks. On top of the biggest problem, which remains ICEing by our own.

There's plenty of evidence that the current fee structure is too low in peak markets - look no further than this very forum for a thread concerning the subject. I can assure you that $24/hour isn't going to get the livery driver enjoying his break and dinner to get out of his chair any faster. Seen it. Furthermore, it's a passive tax. You don't even hear about it after the fact unless and until you go to an SvC. If you're going to change people's behavior through penalties, the penalties have to be high enough to make a difference. No difference at Fountain Valley, Redondo Beach, or even Culver City now which was full and had five cars waiting midday a few weeks back. Even if you argue the metrics, which is a fair point, the larger issue is unless Tesla chooses to stay ahead of demand by providing adequate supply, penalties are a poor second.

Thanks for keeping an eye on that corner in Santa Monica - one wonders if they'll ever break ground, really. The idea of a drive-in restaurant at an SC is... certainly unique. People like the baristas at Kettleman and the vending machines after hours when there are no baristas. But people can also simply plan ahead, especially if they are unfamiliar with a given SC and haven't availed themselves of the excellent Tips thread at the fora at tesla.com. Both for a restroom break and food to go *before* visiting the SC. Heresy, I know.
 
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Using For(got)t(en no more) Stockton, TX as the over/under at 600+ days in permit before construction started earlier this month, I’ll take the under for the Satan Monica SC &
roller skate drive in restaurant concept finding its way into reality - but not by much.

It’s a shame that they couldn’t leverage that insanely valuable corner property for something else in the meantime. And then just 20 urban SC pedestals until they ge through the restaurant-from-scratch hoops.

H(ades), a Tesla-branded food truck (with Elon-branded munchies *polite cough*) and test drives on weekends along with those pedestals would be very popular.

Just saying.
 
Found an update. The site will be used as a pumpkin patch for the entire month of October. :(

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