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Wiki UK and Ireland Supercharger Site News
- Thread starter WannabeOwner
- Start date
A lot of construction underway at Newport Pagnell opposite the existing V2s. Not sure if more Superchargers or a third party install. It makes access to the toilets etc difficult as you have to walk down the slip road against the flow of HGVs.
M1tch
2021 M3P with EAP
cezdoc
Member
The photo below is from the Superchargers app, confirming a supercharger expansion at the Gretna Green Welcome Break services is underway. The associated comment says 10 stall bases but I count at least 11 plus four charger cabinet bases hinting at 16 V4 if the existing 4 V2 stalls are replaced (the photo on the app is higher resolution; the existing stall on the left is 2B).
There are reports of activity at a few other Welcome Break services: South Mimms ("+18"), Hopwood Park plus Newport Pagnell mentioned just above. Abington is another possibility although it seems nothing has yet materialised after its recent lengthy closure. I haven't yet come across any photos showing, e.g., new supercharger stall foundations to confirm construction/indicate size of expansion at any of these sites.
Can anyone tell me if Abington is open please? I'm heading south overnight and I'm not getting the red marker in the app, just a white one.
JupiterMan
Active Member
cezdoc
Member
From the photos in the Twitter thread it looks to me like 6 charger cabinets and 24 square ponies (for V3 stalls as identified by Stu). There are what look like 9 identical prefab concrete cabinet bases though.
I spoke with a Tesla supercharger engineer at Woodall service station he said that his colleages are currently working on the sheffield meadowhall retail park superchargers and they could up and running within the next couple of weeks
I had a spare hour today and went for a tour of the future Manchester sites. Birch services eastbound still sat there with 12 v3 waiting further work, presumably the incoming supply, and Birch westbound also with 12 v3 in the same state - the one nearest the new gridserve chargers (still fenced off but with some signs of power to them) is still damaged.
White City retail park is very similar, 14 v3 sitting there waiting for something to happen.
Much better progress at Ashton New Road/Rowsley Street - 12 v4 now in place, progress with the service centre and offices, big sign on the corner of the site is in place. I'll attach a few photos. Label on the cabinet cover read "Manchester North HQ".
White City retail park is very similar, 14 v3 sitting there waiting for something to happen.
Much better progress at Ashton New Road/Rowsley Street - 12 v4 now in place, progress with the service centre and offices, big sign on the corner of the site is in place. I'll attach a few photos. Label on the cabinet cover read "Manchester North HQ".
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Oxid8ter
Returning Member
I've been reading up on Superchargers recently, and a lot of articles are stating that Tesla are focusing on upgrading older versions to V4, with the intention of existing sites being opened to other EVs once they are running V4 chargers.
The V4s do seems a good design for other EVs, with their longer charge cable, and many being centred to the bay, hopefully as they rollout more the issues with other EVs straddling multiple bays will ease a little, and a lot have been spotted with card readers so that makes the experience a bit easier too, as it means non-Tesla's will not need to download the app and register etc.
On another note, I was watching a YouTube video recently where What Car tested BYD, Tesla, and VW against one another. The first charge was at a supercharger open to all brands of EV - I was really surprised at the pricing for Non-Tesla as it is going to drive traffic to the supercharger massively. In the video the Non-Tesla Supercharging was 51p/kWh vs Tesla at 44p/kWh. The other chargers later in the video were 87p/kWh. I can't help but feel that this level of discount is going to cause massive queues, and then the Tesla's end up being forced to go to the non-Tesla chargers and pay the more extortionate rate, or will be sat for an eternity waiting for a charger.
Video for Ref, in case you are interested:
ACarneiro
Active Member
I wonder how they can get such discounted prices for electricity.
Surely they're paying the same wholesale price for the electricity?
I suppose them building their own chargers will significant reduce the CapEx, and I guess there may be some subsidising of the supercharger network with revenues from other Energy or Automotive arms of the company...
I believe it’s only existing open v3 chargers which are currently planned to be upgraded to V4, which makes sense if you think about it as they’ll have to upgrade them to take contactless payment by the end of the year to remain open.
I expect existing V2/3 sites will close to the public if they are not updated in time.
I expect existing V2/3 sites will close to the public if they are not updated in time.
UkNorthampton
TSLA - 12+ startups in 1
Tesla make more chargers than anyone else in the world, better designed, standardised for each version/connector market. They cost 30% or less of other chargers, so cap ex is lower. Op Ex is lower due to reliability, own servicing staff, few models, high use/better monitoring to know when to fix, better run etc.
Lower CapEx and more usage means lower investment per-kWh served. Also, depends on time of day, cheap rates at different times.
All this vs low usage unreliable slow chargers from rivals. Pity
UkNorthampton
TSLA - 12+ startups in 1
@Oxid8ter was talking about non-Teslas using Superchargers.
V4 are the ones that need the longest cables, generally better cables in many people's opinions, but everyone can have a different opinion (less stiff especially in freezing weather, easier to use one-handed).
I'm sure we can all agree that the reliability and larger than most sites are good. If I had another CCS EV, I'd certainly look for Tesla chargers & first charge might pay for the monthly membership to get same prices as Tesla users.
Superchargers are likely to improve, other networks will die unless they get a decent business model going. Some will switch to buying Superchargers & even contracting for service like BP Pulse USA (North America?) & EG Group worldwide (I think).
Tesla seem to make money or at least cover costs from Superchargers (supposedly target is 20% margin), I don't know how many Tesla sites can buy low, sell high with respect to electricity price arbitrage - need megapacks.
Other networks should develop sites and get income from rent from businesses (shops, fast food & restaurants) serving people (few AC or lower power DC for lunchtime stops). Really hard to make money from charging alone. Really, really hard if you have a blame game of installers vs servicing vs charger manufacturers leading to faults becoming expensive to fix with long downtimes.
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Jason71
Well-Known Member
Lifton will be an good test of this. Its not just that the newly upgraded superchargers are cheaper in Lifton. There are very few Rapid chargers around Launceston at all. All the others are max 50kw (and 79p+) . I imagine that come the Spring/summer that on certain days there will be huge demand and there is no space in that carpark to queue. I think it's going to be total carnage. Its the first one they have opened up where I have thought this is going to be interesting....
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