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Don't think so. In an earlier picture posted last week by ahm you can see the SC pedestals (or whatever thet're called) lined up in a storage unit. They are the type we are used to seeing at SCs. I think the new design announced today is meant to be used in the urban SCs as they are smaller and take up less space.


Thanks! I missed that picture, They do indeed appear to be the std superchargers not the new urban one.
 
The "Metro Superchargers" seem to be limited to 72 kW. I suspect inter-city Superchargers will continue to be the 120-135 kW type (unless they can make them even faster!) but the urban units are likely to be the standard for intra-city charging (speculation on my part). They have the advantage that they are not "paired" like standard Superchargers so that your available charging rate is not impacted by the car in the next stall.

And glad to see Globe back on the list for 2018! Hope it remains on the list...
 
There is a rumor (appears well sourced) that the La Encantada shopping center is destined to get a bank of superchargers. Speculation is that they would likely be Metro Chargers, and may even be on track for a 2017 completion. Too soon to count chickens though.

I emailed the managers of La Encantada about a year ago asking for them to consider Tesla chargers. Claiming they bring good business and people would hang around spending $$$.

The reply I received was that they were already in discussion with Tesla and "stay tuned." It was a very vague response, but at least made me hopeful for the future.
 
There is a rumor (appears well sourced) that the La Encantada shopping center is destined to get a bank of superchargers. Speculation is that they would likely be Metro Chargers, and may even be on track for a 2017 completion. Too soon to count chickens though.

I have heard the same rumor and agree it sounds credible. However a second Tucson SC does not appear on Tesla's latest map of future SC's. (Several new ones showed up for next year in Phoenix.) Perhaps all the legal and financial arrangements haven't been completed--at least that's what I'm hoping.
 
Today's update: the concrete has been poured and forms removed for the charging stations, transformers, and bollards. Also, the smaller transformers for each of the Supercharger pairs have been mounted. I confirm 10 pedistal spots. Unfortunately, it appears there will be no pull-through spots. Please see the photos below.
 

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Does anyone who has followed Supercharger construction steps elsewhere have any idea whether the Tucson facility will be running within a month or so?
There are plenty of folks out there who have more knowledge and experience than I do, but based on what I have observed in the past, a month would be pretty fast from where they are now. IMHO, within 6-8 weeks would be a safer guess.

But a shorter timeline is conceivable, especially if that utility transformer was pre-placed with this in mind. I've never seen that at other sites, but the trench next to the transformer, and its placement that far away from the building, has me wondering. Waiting for the local utility to install the transformer can often slow things down (days to weeks), even when the site appears otherwise complete. It would be great news if the transformer in the pictures was actually placed to supply the supercharger site.

I suppose the trench could be accessing a power feed, adjacent to that transformer, for the yet-to-be-installed transformer for this site. Don't really know- I am not an electrical engineer, just been watching a bunch of these online over the last couple of years (and two in person). Watch to see if the conduit placed in the trench from the existing transformer is connected directly to the conduit in one of those two new concrete pads (rather than to a location next to them, where a new transformer and pad will be installed).

Folks tend to get excited when they see the shiny new charging bollards go up, but sometimes those are the first components to appear complete, several weeks before activation. It looks like they may be installed after the power supply hardware this time.

The big grey cabinets are the power distribution centers that supply AC current (I believe) to the superchargers (aka inverter stacks) that each supply DC current to a pair of the charging bollards (where you connect your vehicle). The white supercharger cabinets (two in each of those tall Tesla crates) and the distribution centers will be in linear arrays on those two concrete pads studded with conduit. The steel pipes at each corner of the pads look like protective bollards rather than corners of an enclosure, which would speed things up a bit.

Once the charging components are all in place, the utility transformer is installed, and the curbs, pavement, striping, lighting, landscaping, and any enclosures or fences are all complete, you will need to wait for Tesla to dispatch a supercharger tech to inspect and activate the site. They generally fly them to the nearest Tesla service center to pick up a vehicle to drive to the site. Usually it's a one-day visit. I have seen the tech apply the number/letter labels (1A, 1B, 2A, etc.) to each bollard at the end of that process. The presence of those labels and the illumination of the red Tesla logo on each bollard are good clues that the site has been activated. Usually it will show up on the website and on your vehicle Nav map within 24 hours or so.

There are exceptions, of course. For example, Laramie WY is not on the Tesal map yet, even though folks have been able to charge there over the past week. Reportedly there is an issue with the power supply. I've seen that happen before. It could go offline for some days while that issue is being resolved, which may be why its activation is not "official" yet.
 
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WheresMyEVSUV, thanks for all the excellent photos and updates! At this point, based on your photos, I believe that utility transformer really may have been pre-placed for this SC site. If so, that removes a significant potential delay! Now that the distribution centers are in place, expect a row of white supercharger cabinets on that other long pad.
 
These "mini transformers" are dry-type autotransformers (i.e. single winding) rated for 480V one side, and 504V on the other. I've seen them used at one other location, at El Paso. I can't figure out why these are used at some locations, and not others. Schematically, they would reside to the high side of the main rectifiers. Maybe an enhancement to ultimately get more voltage on the DC side, and hence more power to the cars? Or maybe they are a standard part of all newer installations, and all the other superchargers I've been to are older. Anyone else know? The serving utilities should all be providing 277/480V three phase to within plus or minus 5%, in accordance with ANSI.
Maybe these locations are known to be to the lower end of that band, as might be the case if they are toward the end of the distribution feeders, and Tesla wants a more consistent, higher voltage output on the line side of the rectifiers. You have to be careful then that it doesn't go too high during "off-peak" times.
 
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Progress at the Tucson SC (9225 S Rita Rd). Cabinets and electrical box installed. 8 of 10 frames for stations up. Wire is on site. Still waiting on the transformer. I don't think the transformer on site will service these SC. One of my photos shows a new meter adjacent to the existing transformer. Another photo shows six conduits in place adjacent to the existing transformer. Watching other SC sites held up by power installation I would gladly be wrong.
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WheresMyEVSUV, thanks for all the excellent photos and updates! At this point, based on your photos, I believe that utility transformer really may have been pre-placed for this SC site. If so, that removes a significant potential delay! Now that the distribution centers are in place, expect a row of white supercharger cabinets on that other long pad.


As of today, the utility transformer for the superchargers has not been placed. The transformer seen in the photos nearby is an existing one that supports the gas station. The conduit for the new transformer can be seen next to it.
 
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