Tesla Supercharger network

[Troy]

Does it seem like forward progress on new Superchargers in the US has completely stalled or is that just my perception. It doesn't help that the only change on the Tesla map has been a few grey to red transitions with nothing past 2016.

Hi,

In addition to supercharge.info, check out my topic here:
Tesla Supercharger Stats

It shows Teslas per supercharger stall by country. For example, the USA was at 41.8 at the end of Q2 2016. I will update this data quarterly. Btw, there is also separate data for California as well.

 

[Pando]

The most dumb thing that Tesla did, that is hurting them so much is their idiotic decision of having the charge port in the back. It was done for aesthetics, sacrificing ease of usage and function.

Yes. The badge area in front of the driver side door would have been a good place for it.

It would also make it simpler to install chargers in a garage, on the back wall, and on a two car garage one car backing out won't drive over the cable that's charging the other car.

Better yet, an electric car could easily have two charging ports. One in the back, and one up front.

 

[RubberToe]

If you look at the image below - from the opening- on the nearest posts, you can see it is numbered. The one to the left I think is "1B" and the one to the right is clearly "1A".

Man, I just love it when someone thinks things through!

Arrow shows where to pull in, and clearly the idea is that if the forward spot is free, you pull through the back spot to get to the forward spot. More often than not, the forward spot will finish charging before the back spot. But the 1B is on the left in the back spot, while the 1A is on the right in the first spot. So if two people pull in at the same time, if they both go to a forward spot, they both get full power. If one goes to one forward spot and the other goes to another forward spot, they both get full charge. Only way you have to share power is if someone else is first, and you are second and opposite. In that case, it is very likely that the car you are sharing with leaves sooner and frees up the power. And if there is a car behind it charging the spot you are sharing with will stay empty (likely) until the blocking car moves.

I used to do discrete event simulation in a previous lifetime, so something like this I find interesting and impressive. And anyone pulling around horses is going to love it too! All that is missing is a watering trough and some hay

[URL=http://s882.photobucket.com/user/RubberToe420/media/sc_zpsza0ozyiw.jpg.html][/URL]

RT

 

[dgpcolorado]

Hi,

In addition to supercharge.info, check out my topic here:
Tesla Supercharger Stats

It shows Teslas per supercharger stall by country. For example, the USA was at 41.8 at the end of Q2 2016. I will update this data quarterly. Btw, there is also separate data for California as well.

Interesting data. While it would seem on the face of it that more Superchargers are needed in Netherlands and Belgium what isn't reflected in the numbers is the huge distances that need to be covered in the USA and Canada. That necessitates the placing of Superchargers in areas that are critical to allowing long distance travel but relatively little used compared to the ones in more populated areas. And that skews the numbers when looked at in the form of Teslas per Supercharger stall.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Maybe that design will work in Norway where people are smarter, but in the US, land of the ignorant?

Very few people here are going to be able to figure that mess out.

Sure it will make a huge dent in regular ICEing. At least Tesla should indicate on each parking pad which SC stall cable to use. I can see people getting all kinds of confused on how to pull into those spots, not pulling up all the way (already happens at every gas station in the country), nor knowing which cable to use or picking the wrong one of those stall pairs in the middle of each set.

I wonder if this was human factors tested, or just looked good on paper to a bunch of engineers?

 

[ohmman]

Very few people here are going to be able to figure that mess out.

Oh, come on. It's pretty intuitive. I certainly think "that mess" is a hyperbolic misrepresentation.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Oh, come on. It's pretty intuitive. I certainly think "that mess" is a hyperbolic misrepresentation.

I guess we'll see! I'm ok with "hyperbolic misrepresentation" for now.

**It is intuitive to all of us. As we've already seen, that doesn't apply to many Tesla drivers.

 

[Az_Rael]

not pulling up all the way

I've already seen a photo on Facebook of someone doing this at the new one in Seaside OR that's set up this way. First thing I thought was - you didn't pull all the way forward!! Granted no one else was there, but still.

Maybe it's because they can't pump their own gas up there in Oregon, so they don't know how the setups are supposed to work.

 

[TaoJones]

At an otherwise empty SC yesterday, a driver came in and parked right next to me.

He'd owned his car for a year and had not heard of pairing.

The opportunity for improvement remains for continuous education of the owner community.

Topics to include:
Pairing
SC etiquette in general
How to use the newfangled ones (see above and, for that matter, the one at Mammoth Lakes.
Planning ahead for SvC visits

I should just write this quarterly newsletter myself, ffs.

Content submissions for publication/inclusion/consideration may be sent via PM .

I haven't seen anyone irrigate the plants yet at an SC as happened recently (stay classy, Rancho), but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[ohmman]

At an otherwise empty SC yesterday, a driver came in and parked right next to me.

He'd owned his car for a year and had not heard of pairing.

The opportunity for improvement remains for continuous education of the owner community.

Topics to include:
Pairing
SC etiquette in general
How to use the newfangled ones (see above and, for that matter, the one at Mammoth Lakes.
Planning ahead for SvC visits

I should just write this quarterly newsletter myself, ffs.

Content submissions for publication/inclusion/consideration may be sent via PM .

I haven't seen anyone irrigate the plants yet at an SC as happened recently (stay classy, Rancho), but it wouldn't surprise me.

This is always where I plug my idea for a "pop-up" on the 17" which tells people all of this stuff as soon as they arrive at a Supercharger location. Initially it would be standard across all locations. Then they could start to customize and prioritize information on a location-specific basis.

 

[TaoJones]

This is always where I plug my idea for a "pop-up" on the 17" which tells people all of this stuff as soon as they arrive at a Supercharger location. Initially it would be standard across all locations. Then they could start to customize and prioritize information on a location-specific basis.

This would be absolutely splendiferous; have hoped for that for quite awhile now. At least for the 3-5% most-utilized locations. Even a simple "Attend to yer chariot a few minutes before the charge is complete" message would help.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

I should just write this quarterly newsletter myself, ffs.

Content submissions for publication/inclusion/consideration may be sent via PM

My submission will be "We Named This Supercharger's Stalls After These Fictional Characters (And Tesla Motors Loved It!)"

 

[TaoJones]

My submission will be "We Named This Supercharger's Stalls After These Fictional Characters (And Tesla Motors Loved It!)"

That's the spirit!

 

[Saghost]

This is always where I plug my idea for a "pop-up" on the 17" which tells people all of this stuff as soon as they arrive at a Supercharger location. Initially it would be standard across all locations. Then they could start to customize and prioritize information on a location-specific basis.

This could work. I've been suggesting for a while that for best utilization Tesla should give you a "best stall to plug in to" graphic/map on the center screen when you arrive (presumably as an extension of the real time supercharger status updating) - when the site is heavily loaded this would be the one with the most power available; lightly loaded they'd presumably choose different units over time to equalize the wear if everything is working.

 

[Doug Martoccia]

Following a recent visit to Fresno, I've now visited 18 supercharger sites in just over three years. In the next year, I might hit up a dozen more. The network is meeting nearly all of my needs - planned additions in CA are plugging holes and dealing with congestion. Are we living in the heyday of Supercharging? I'm starting to fear what will happen when the Model 3 arrives!

 

[HankLloydRight]

his could work. I've been suggesting for a while that for best utilization Tesla should give you a "best stall to plug in to" graphic/map on the center screen when you arrive (presumably as an extension of the real time supercharger status updating)

I think it's easier than that.. I've suggested just having Red, yellow, and green lights on each SC stall to indicate charging availability. Green=Full power; Yellow=reduced; Red=inoperative. This can be handled locally at each SC location without the need for the mothership to coordinate, or to send custom messages to each car as it approaches. Once you get to a SC location, you can see, right away, which optimal stall to pull into.

 

[ohmman]

I think it's easier than that.. I've suggested just having Red, yellow, and green lights on each SC stall to indicate charging availability. Green=Full power; Yellow=reduced; Red=inoperative. This can be handled locally at each SC location without the need for the mothership to coordinate, or to send custom messages to each car as it approaches. Once you get to a SC location, you can see, right away, which optimal stall to pull into.

While I like your implementation, it doesn't seem like installing lights is nearly as effective as using the existing in-car display to display the same information. I think that's a far step 2 or 3, though. For me, just saying "Stalls are paired, here's what to look for" and "Don't park overnight if possible" are a good start.

 

[wdolson]

Yes. The badge area in front of the driver side door would have been a good place for it.

It would also make it simpler to install chargers in a garage, on the back wall, and on a two car garage one car backing out won't drive over the cable that's charging the other car.

Better yet, an electric car could easily have two charging ports. One in the back, and one up front.

My old Buick has the fuel port under the back license plate which always made fueling easy. Putting the charge port in the middle of back would have been difficult, but putting it in the middle front would make supercharging easier at the older SCs for those who don't like backing into parking spaces, especially with a larger car in between two $100K cars. There are many ways they could have designed the front to hide it.

Having two ports front and back would be handy too.

 

[Chuq]

Sorry, I'll try to include it here.


Your right. But when you are supercharging you probably have to exit your car and move your body somewhere near the rear of the car anyway

That diagram makes more sense. Although they could have just had four rows of five parking bays in a regular configuration?

I guess when I actually own a Tesla (and if superchargers actually get close to where I am) I might get the layout more!

 

[Model 3]

That diagram makes more sense. Although they could have just had four rows of five parking bays in a regular configuration?

I guess when I actually own a Tesla (and if superchargers actually get close to where I am) I might get the layout more!

for those interested here is some more pictures from the opening on Tesla Owner Club Norway's website.

Here is a picture where it is already full

Some of you may even recognize this Model X: