Tesla Supercharger network

[jvonbokel]

I understand what you are saying... but the only report of long lines at superchargers that I ever read come from California... you have to look at density of superchargers in relationship to density of Model S/X

Bah - I call that horrifically close to bad S/N feedback (close - not perfect - analogy. Can't come up with a better one off the cuff).

For example, ein gedankenexperiment: What would happen to the number of Teslas sold in California at t=1, {given at t=0 there are what? 20,000 or so?} if five additional Superchargers were emplaced there? Now place them not in California, but in Alaska (n=14 at t=0). Answer: The Sales to Installs payback would be far better.

Not sure what S/N feedback is, and Google was no help. Could you explain?

5 new Superchargers in CA might not directly lead to more sales in the way that new Supercharger locations elsewhere could, but sales in CA are strong (due to factors like local incentives), and if they fail to keep up with network expansion, it will negatively impact sales in the future.

Many Superchargers (i.e. in the midwest) were built with enough capacity to support local sales a couple years into the future, so those areas will not see expansion for some time. California sales continue to be high, so the network there is more at risk of becoming saturated.

Consider the negative publicity of Supercharger wait times. Dec 26th was a special case where an already heavy travel day was impacted by some closed routes, forcing even more traffic along one specific corridor. However, if that were to happen with any regularity, there would be articles suggesting that Tesla's free Supercharging model is not sustainable, which would impact sales (and not just in CA).

All we have to go on are maps of existing chargers (and Tesla's vague planned future maps), and maybe a little bit of general driving/population data. Tesla, on the other hand, can generate a map of all their owners, or potentially even where the cars are at any given moment (not sure how much access they have to real-time GPS data of the fleet in aggregate). They can also most definitely see usage history for each Supercharger location, and generate utilization percentages by geographic area. Surely they have a good reason for building more Superchargers in California, and I suspect it has to do with one or both of those pieces of information.

 

[bollar]

I’ve attended two Supercharger ribbon cuttings, and at one of them, there were disappointingly only two Tesla cars that showed up, so we each got to keep half of the ribbon as a souvenir. The location on that one was a little interesting. The city and chamber of commerce liked the idea, but Tesla had been working with a business for a location and were having some trouble with it. So the city just went ahead and let them build it in the parking lot of the tourist visitors’ center, which is a great location. That is in Twin Falls, Idaho.

I'm thinking that for a Supercharger located 25 miles outside the 4th largest metropolitan area in the country, we'll be able to entice more than two cars to come. Especially if someone from Tesla decides to attend.

 

[Kevin Harney]

I understand what you are saying... but the only report of long lines at superchargers that I ever read come from California... you have to look at density of superchargers in relationship to density of Model S/X

Well then MAYBE those people should actually charge at HOME instead of 20 miles down the road and complain that they don't have one 5 miles away instead !! Some people, myself not included, can not even make the trips they want or have to go hundreds of miles out of their way to make it instead of being inconvenienced by a few minutes wait. I am not saying CA should not get more I am just saying complete the BIG picture and then work on the details.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

I am not saying CA should not get more I am just saying complete the BIG picture and then work on the details.

I'd agree, and want to see us the owners applying just a little Social Pressure when witnessing excessive utilization by local drivers.

"Don't take Superchargers for granted. There are starving Teslas in Shamrock Texas who would love to have the option to drive ONLY 20 miles to get to a charge."

I don't think Texas will squawk if Alaska gets a few Superchargers before, say, a "Rosenberg" Supercharger is built between Houston and Victoria.

Tejon is the hot topic after this holiday weekend. No problem here with TM expanding Tejon where there aren't locals, but some CHAdeMOs at local businesses would help (us and the business).

 

[Kevin Harney]

So, not an issue of Signal/Noise Feedback (I think that was what Audie was invoking) as a concept, but Pest Control... or as I think of it, Social Pressure coming to bear on excessive utilization by local drivers.

Telling the "kids" (newer owners), "Don't take Superchargers for granted. There are starving Teslas in Shamrock Texas who would love to have the option to drive ONLY 20 miles to get to a charge."

I don't think Texas will squawk if Alaska gets a few Superchargers before - for instance - "Rosenberg SC" is built between Houston and Victoria.

??? Your point ? Sorry just confused.

 

[kort677]

??? Your point ? Sorry just confused.

his point was that there are many owners who "abuse" the superchargers that are close to their homes. while it is hard to "police" who uses the superchargers a little common courtesy wouldn't hurt, these people who use the superchargers as their source of charging should be considerate and not use them to top off their charge on potentially high volume days.

 

[S'toon]

I understand what you are saying... but the only report of long lines at superchargers that I ever read come from California... you have to look at density of superchargers in relationship to density of Model S/X

I understand what you're saying... but there are no reports of long lines at superchargers in Eastern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, huge swaths of Ontario, and the Maritimes is because they're no superchargers there, and no plans to build any there.

 

[cpa]

Well then MAYBE those people should actually charge at HOME instead of 20 miles down the road and complain that they don't have one 5 miles away instead !! Some people, myself not included, can not even make the trips they want or have to go hundreds of miles out of their way to make it instead of being inconvenienced by a few minutes wait. I am not saying CA should not get more I am just saying complete the BIG picture and then work on the details.

Kevin, you are correct that there is a segment of us owners who abuse and overuse local Superchargers here in California. And it will likely get worse before it gets better. However, Ft. Tejon is about 75 miles north of downtown Los Angeles and about 40 miles north of the last vestiges of urban civilization before the interstate climbs the transverse range of Southern California. There are no towns along Interstate 5 with any size until one reaches Manteca/Stockton, a distance of several hundred miles. Bakersfield is about 25 miles or so north along SR99. There are a few Tesla owners in Bakersfield, but from memory that number is likely in single digits. If a Bakersfieldian did decide to charge at Ft. Tejon, shame on him or her, but I seriously doubt that the interminable waits suffered by the dozens of travelers were compromised by "locals."

I suspect that there are similar areas in your part of the country that have vast rural distances with absolutely no cities or towns to speak of between two major population centers. These highways may experience inordinately high traffic volumes at selected times during the year too. Let's hope Tesla solves this conundrum sooner than later so that these situations vanish.

 

[TexasEV]

If locals just charged to 80 or 90% and then moved on it usually wouldn't be such a problem, but when they leave the car to go shopping for an hour or more or even worse leave the car and have someone pick them up and bring them back much later that's when it's a huge issue. That is why Tesla should institute a significant fee for being plugged in >90 minutes. At that point any car has long since finished charging and the stall is being used as a parking space. Tesla said free charging, not free parking.

 

[dhanson865]

Not sure what S/N feedback is, and Google was no help. Could you explain?

I'm assuming he means signal to noise feedback.

Signal-to-noise ratio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Signal-to-noise ratio (abbreviated SNR or S/N)

 

[kort677]

I understand what you're saying... but there are no reports of long lines at superchargers in Eastern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, huge swaths of Ontario, and the Maritimes is because they're no superchargers there, and no plans to build any there.

could it also be that there aren't very many tesla's being driven up there? the density of tesla owners in CA is second to none

 

[AudubonB]

Yep. Best I could do on the fly and still haven't come up with a more appropriate term.

Changing subject: as of this evening now 32 Superchargers opened this month - very good! And 24 hours or so remain in this year.....

 

[KJD]

Yep. Best I could do on the fly and still haven't come up with a more appropriate term.
Changing subject: as of this evening now 32 Superchargers opened this month - very good! And 24 hours or so remain in this year.....

32 in a month is very impressive. Maybe next year Tesla could show I-15 some love north of Tremonton UT.

 

[emupilot]

32 in a month is very impressive. Maybe next year Tesla could show I-15 some love north of Tremonton UT.

They are working on Idaho Falls, with the city council approving a cost-sharing agreement, but we don't know the specific site yet.

 

[hobbes]

Yep. Best I could do on the fly and still haven't come up with a more appropriate term.

Changing subject: as of this evening now 32 Superchargers opened this month - very good! And 24 hours or so remain in this year.....

Wow. Is this US only or worldwide? Where did you get that info?

- - - Updated - - -

I checked supercharge.info and that matches your number. In Dec 2014 they even built 50 SCs (worldwide)!

 

[Johan]

It's very impressive indeed. Especially considering the competition just woke up and put on a cup of coffee...

 

[Cottonwood]

Changing subject: as of this evening now 32 Superchargers opened this month - very good! And 24 hours or so remain in this year.....

13 so far in December, and 109 in 2015, in North America. That compares to 102 North American Openings in 2014.

 

[jerry33]

Just received an email from Tesla that Victoria, TX is now open

 

[Rocky_H]

could it also be that there aren't very many tesla's being driven up there? the density of tesla owners in CA is second to none

*facepalm* Why would someone there even consider buying a car this expensive if they can’t drive it outside of their town without a 4+ hour charging stop? The Superchargers need to BE THERE to sell the cars.

 

[ggr]

*facepalm* Why would someone there even consider buying a car this expensive if they can’t drive it outside of their town without a 4+ hour charging stop? The Superchargers need to BE THERE to sell the cars.

I think you may have just insulted all the Roadster owners who do road trips...