Tesla practical in NYC (Brooklyn) or no?

[Cheeseburger3]

Hi all, I’m moving from the Bay Area (which I hate) to NYC (which I love) and I’m really excited. The only downside is I’m going from what is probably the best place in the country for owning a Tesla, to one that may very well be the opposite.

We currently own a 2019 Model 3 and a 2014 BMW 328i wagon (ICE, obvs) and we’ll be bringing one of them to NYC because we want an easy way to get ourselves and our doggos out for weekend jaunts to family in nearby states, and whatever other rare big box shopping jaunts one does.

At this point, I’m leaning towards bringing the BMW and selling the Tesla, even though the Tesla is better in (almost) every way.

From what I’ve seen, it seems that keeping the Tesla is a lot more effort in NYC than it is in the Bay Area....What with lack of charging infrastructure, the constant battery drain of the cold weather, etc. I don’t want to need a weekly routine of tending to charging my car even when I’m not going anywhere in it!

Any Tesla NYCers here? How have you found it?

 

[CyberGus]

Google maps shows 12 gas stations in all of Brooklyn (can that be right?) and 6 Supercharger stations. The real question is "will you have access to power where you park?" If you can't charge at night or where you work, you're at the mercy of the SCs.

I spent a few days in Manhattan last year (didn't drive lol) but asked my Uber driver where she got gas; "Oh I go to Queens". Whaaa? I guess Tesla owners aren't the only ones with range anxiety. Oddly I saw almost no Teslas, when I thought the urban environment would be ideal for an electric car. So you're not wrong, the NYC area hasn't exactly embraced electric cars yet. But it's doable.

 

[Scottykaps]

Google maps shows 12 gas stations in all of Brooklyn (can that be right?) and 6 Supercharger stations. The real question is "will you have access to power where you park?" If you can't charge at night or where you work, you're at the mercy of the SCs.

I spent a few days in Manhattan last year (didn't drive lol) but asked my Uber driver where she got gas; "Oh I go to Queens". Whaaa? I guess Tesla owners aren't the only ones with range anxiety. Oddly I saw almost no Teslas, when I thought the urban environment would be ideal for an electric car. So you're not wrong, the NYC area hasn't exactly embraced electric cars yet. But it's doable.

Completely agree. Home charging would be a make or break for me. Especially since most SC in NYC are in paid garages.

 

[Cheeseburger3]

Yeah that’s the thing, I’m not gonna have charging at either home or work (whereas here in the bay I have both...not that I’ve used the work one lately!)

So it looks like it’s gonna be going backwards to an ICE car when I move!

Anyone wanna buy a Model 3 long range AWD with 8k miles and EAP?

 

[TYLongRange]

We are in a similar situation. Moving from Bay Area to NYC and have a Tesla and an ICE and want to bring one and sell the other. Also have a dog to take around. So very similar situation! Am interested in knowing what you finally did and any learnings after going to NYC. Have a lot of other questions on the move as well! It would be great if we could chat! Let me know if you would be open to that!

 

[101dals]

We are in a similar situation. Moving from Bay Area to NYC and have a Tesla and an ICE and want to bring one and sell the other. Also have a dog to take around. So very similar situation! Am interested in knowing what you finally did and any learnings after going to NYC. Have a lot of other questions on the move as well! It would be great if we could chat! Let me know if you would be open to that!

I guess it depends on where you are moving to in Brooklyn. Tesla has superchargers on Atlantic Ave near the Barclay Center and also near Prospect Park. That is central Brooklyn. Williamsburg (North Brooklyn) has one in the William Vale Hotel. It is a supercharger, but requires a valet parking fee. Ridiculous, but welcome to Brooklyn!

South Brooklyn, where we live, is a supercharger desert. The Supercharger that is supposed to open on the Belt Parkway near the Verrazano Bridge keeps getting delayed. It was supposed to open in 2020 and now it is coming "sometime in 2022". No signs of any construction anywhere.

There are destination chargers popping up in more places. Industry City near Costco in Sunset Park just had some J1772s installed. NYC is adding more chargers all the time, but it is random where they are going.

 

[thisisdiddy]

Depending on your living situation this might be a tough call. If you are not going to have a charger in your garage/apt/condo/street, charging at superchargers can be expensive (most are in paid garages).

Granted NYC is adding public chargers everywhere, I think we are couple years away from lvl 2 DC charging being available everywhere. If you are going to be driving a lot + cold winters, the BMW might be economical short term. If anything in the next 2-3 years, there will be longer range model 3s and more ubiquitous lvl 2 charging around the city. I would say keep the BMW for now.

 

[smartypnz]

I kinda agree... If we had no way to easily charge at home (or SC nearby and easily available), we would not have purchased our 1st in 2013. Yes SC's were free and few. But back then owners would park, connect to SC's and leave the car overnight. In congested area that would have been a BIG problem. I would bow to the BMW in your situation - at least until there's a level 2 on every other lamp post in cities like NY.

 

[101dals]

I kinda agree... If we had no way to easily charge at home (or SC nearby and easily available), we would not have purchased our 1st in 2013. Yes SC's were free and few. But back then owners would park, connect to SC's and leave the car overnight. In congested area that would have been a BIG problem. I would bow to the BMW in your situation - at least until there's a level 2 on every other lamp post in cities like NY.

I hope one day there is a level 2 on every lamp post. NY seems to be investing more on electric vehicles. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that there will be an ICE parked at every lamp post with a level 2 charger. The bus stops and fire hydrants are now the most popular premium spaces....A tangent for another day....

As much as I love my Model Y, unless you have a dedicated home charger, it will be tough (but not impossible) like the other folks have said. BMW (Bring My Wallet, as I used to say) might be the safer bet. I wish I was wrong.

 

[CyberGus]

I hope one day there is a level 2 on every lamp post. NY seems to be investing more on electric vehicles. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that there will be an ICE parked at every lamp post with a level 2 charger. The bus stops and fire hydrants are now the most popular premium spaces....A tangent for another day....

As much as I love my Model Y, unless you have a dedicated home charger, it will be tough (but not impossible) like the other folks have said. BMW (Bring My Wallet, as I used to say) might be the safer bet. I wish I was wrong.

I'm hoping for a wireless charging pad under every parking space.

 

[Zacster]

I live in a house with a driveway in Brooklyn and can plug into the 120v outlet with an extension cord inside the house (20 amp rated cord for 12a charging). I am having a wall charger installed on the outside real soon now. I sometimes take my car to the Atlantic Center supercharger when I need a quick charge, it is a 3-4 mile drive and combine it with errands to Target and Whole Foods located there. They charge $4 for the parking and there is always a charger available. There also Tesla lever 2 chargers there that are free. The Brooklyn Museum charger is marginally closer but they charge more for parking plus there isn't much to do there if you aren't going to the museum or gardens.

In addition to those already mentioned there is the Revel charging station on Flushing Ave. They have lots of chargers there along with a fleet of MYs that are taxis/ubers/whatever. Open to anybody and it is more expensive than a T charger but no parking fee.

There are destination chargers around Brooklyn but not many that I've used. The big Whole Foods has 4 stations but I've only once found one open and was very slow. Southern Brooklyn is a complete charger desert, the few I've seen listed don't seem to really be there. I don't really know about the other boroughs except I used an SC in the southern tip of Staten Island, that may be the only one. Once you leave the city you are at the mercy of the Tesla map but the interstates are covered.

The bottom line though is I can always get a charge somewhere. You are on wheels after all.

 

[ljbad4life]

I lived for almost 2 years parking on the street without access to charging. There are more than a few destination chargers and l2 chargers. In northern brooklyn, there are 3 urban superchargers. Southern brooklyn is a bit of a supercharger desert. There is supposed to be a supercharger coming online in southern brooklyn near the belt parkway, but who knows when that will come online. Pick a place to charger (like a supermarket, gym or movies) that you will be there some time. Charge while you are there.

Edit* as far as paying for a garage, do it! if they charge the car, it's worth it. It will greatly lower your insurance as well.

 

[Zacster]

I plugged my car into the 120v wall outlet yesterday at around 4pm and today at 950pm it is fully charged. I never left the house today.

 

[101dals]

Tesla updated the Supercharger map today. Unfortunately, the supercharger in southern Brooklyn has now gotten pushed to sometime in 2023.

 

[mvp2ny]

Use PlugShare. They have non-SC set up many places in Bk. Yea parking sux everywhere unless u r lucky to have a spot. GL