Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Western Canada Superchargers

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Maybe the SK govt should also support EVs by giving incentives like QC, BC and ON. And couldn't SaskPower put in L3 chargers as well? NB Power is putting some in and the ON govt has subsidized tons of L3 and L2 chargers.
Oh I assure you SaskPower does not give a crap about anything green like solar panels, EV charging, etc. The premier also does not like EVs and stuff, he's really cozy with oil companies so there's no chance of any incentives as long as he's in charge.
 
I think they should favour jurisdictions whose policies promote EVs. And that is also in their financial best interest as those jurisdictions will sell more Teslas and therefore use SCs more which will provide more revenue for Tesla, since those of us who SuperCharge for free will soon be an endangered species. But I guess you can argue that it is a chicken-egg situation. As I show in the graph below even if you adjust for population size all of the EVs sold in Canada have been in QC, ON and BC. When you don't adjust for population it is even more skewed (these are all EVs, not just Tesla)
evs_per_cap-jpg.221073
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: doubeld
Why is that? Teslas will take longer than that to charge?

You get about 50kW on the Chademo so that's about 25kWh in a half hour. Every model of Tesla is far bigger than that. Even with a Supercharger you are not getting an 80% charge in 30 minutes, barring some highly unusual circumstances, such as warm weather, warm battery 5% initial SOC and a Model S60. And even then I think you'd be hard pressed to pull it off.
 
I think they should favour jurisdictions whose policies promote EVs. And that is also in their financial best interest as those jurisdictions will sell more Teslas and therefore use SCs more which will provide more revenue for Tesla, since those of us who SuperCharge for free will soon be an endangered species. But I guess you can argue that it is a chicken-egg situation. As I show in the graph below even if you adjust for population size all of the EVs sold in Canada have been in QC, ON and BC. When you don't adjust for population it is even more skewed (these are all EVs, not just Tesla)
evs_per_cap-jpg.221073

I hate to play devil's advocate (of course I want more superchargers everywhere just like everyone else on this forum), but this chart is why they aren't putting superchargers in the prairies and the atlantic provinces).
 
I hate to play devil's advocate (of course I want more superchargers everywhere just like everyone else on this forum), but this chart is why they aren't putting superchargers in the prairies and the atlantic provinces).
The only way to get around in SK is to drive. Long distances. Most people aren't going to buy a car if they can't get "refuel" it. People on the Prairies make road trips more often than other parts of the country because of the rural family dynamic. The Sun Country Level 2 charging stations don't cut it for most people.
 
  • Helpful
Reactions: 1.21 Jiggawatts
The only way to get around in SK is to drive. Long distances. Most people aren't going to buy a car if they can't get "refuel" it. People on the Prairies make road trips more often than other parts of the country because of the rural family dynamic. The Sun Country Level 2 charging stations don't cut it for most people.

Yes, but EVs have not taken hold in that part of the continent in any meaningful sense. I think Tesla is correct to focus their efforts on other areas for the time being. I say this even though I am a road tripper who would much rather see ND, Arkansas, west Texas and the prairies get filled up as opposed to yet another urban supercharger being built.
 
Oh I assure you SaskPower does not give a crap about anything green like solar panels, EV charging, etc. The premier also does not like EVs and stuff, he's really cozy with oil companies so there's no chance of any incentives as long as he's in charge.

When is your next provincial election? Hopefully you can vote the bum off the island.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1.21 Jiggawatts
When is your next provincial election? Hopefully you can vote the bum off the island.
3 more years. He got re-elected with a bigger majority just last year.

To me the SK Party government's fiscal incompetence and corruption was obvious, but the people thought he was good with the economy. Now all the skeletons are coming out of the closet. Sometimes I really hate this place.
 
  • Like
Reactions: InternetDude
I hate to play devil's advocate (of course I want more superchargers everywhere just like everyone else on this forum), but this chart is why they aren't putting superchargers in the prairies and the atlantic provinces).
But then we are left with the chicken or the egg argument. No Superchargers because no Teslas, no Teslas because no Superchargers. I think ...." Built it and they will come"
 
You get about 50kW on the Chademo so that's about 25kWh in a half hour. Every model of Tesla is far bigger than that. Even with a Supercharger you are not getting an 80% charge in 30 minutes, barring some highly unusual circumstances, such as warm weather, warm battery 5% initial SOC and a Model S60. And even then I think you'd be hard pressed to pull it off.
I have had a ChaDeMo for two years and I think of them differently. When I am plugged into one, I think .... I am only going to have to stay here charging half or a third of the time if it were only a level 2 charger! More ChaDeMos the better! I love what NB Power is doing, since Tesla has dropped the ball in the Maritimes. I have been there... believe me, waiting for one hour seems five times better psychologically than waiting two. In one hour your can slowly eat a meal. For two or more you have a hard time to find things to do. I always have a book with me.
 
Oh I assure you SaskPower does not give a crap about anything green like solar panels, EV charging, etc. The premier also does not like EVs and stuff, he's really cozy with oil companies so there's no chance of any incentives as long as he's in charge.
Is the Saskatchewan electric utility government owed? If not, then maybe there is still hope for a more progressive stance from them, if not from the government.
 
It might take some more time but now that Alberta has a solar incentive program, even Brad Wall should realize that he has to do something or risk loosing votes in the next election.

I only hope that Alberta follows up the Solar incentive with an EV program before my Model 3 comes. :)
 
This topic is getting derailed. The prairies definitely suffer a chicken and egg problem. The main reason SCs start in urban areas is because a greater percentage of the population have access to EVs in general, and thus there is more interest. Think all of the compliance vehicles that actually work in a City like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Those rarely work in 'cities' of 15,000 on the prairies where you have to drive to the next town for work, and to brave the elements reducing your range by 1/2 on an already small battery. There are pure economic reasons there aren't compliance EVs on the prairies in which case the saturation of EVs, and thus higher-end EVs like Teslas never came about. However, Tesla can make this happen by producing a car that the middle to upper-middle class can afford. In which case "If you build it, they will come". If Tesla does not build SCs, then EVs will not take hold on the prairies.

The government does not NEED to get involved, but it can be helpful. EVs should be able to stand on their own merit without government handouts. I don't blame the government for me not being able to afford a Model S/X but I would not be happy with a Tesla if I could afford their car but have no way to drive it more than 300km from home without being able to charge quickly to get to my next destination or back home again.
 
SaskPower is provincially owned. Don't forget that the People's Republic of Saskatchewan is the birthplace of the NDP and socialized medical care in Canada. It is surprising that the government is so right wing on this issue.
70 years ago it was as you stated. Now the current government is the most RW in Canada, and is ideologically linked to the most RW elements in the States. I've found the links between the current government and one US "bill mill" similar to ALEC.
 
Tesla brags about how much they're doing with regards to Superchargers, but still nothing for Sask. Kinda pisses me off to be honest. Even putting SCs in Medicine Hat and Lloydminster Alberta (hey Tesla likes Alberta) would be beneficial for SK owners going to/from AB and AB folks going to SK.

I had a long drive yesterday. I went about 720km and it took just over 12 hours. Yep, 7 hours of driving plus 5 hours of charging to go 700 km and I still rolled in with 5% battery remaining. Many thanks to Sun Country, Peavey Mart and other businesses that make EV driving possible here in SK.

While I'm not going to be driving electric until my model 3 shows up, I feel your pain. Even if tesla put in 2-stall supercharger stations to connect Alberta to Manitoba. Hell, all I need to get out of Saskatchewan is some kind of level 3 in medicine hat, that's it!

But now I'm getting scared about the recent developments with the model S 75 no longer having an option for 72 amp charger. Which probably means my future model 3 will only have a 48 amp and I will be stuck charging for hours on end at a level 2 to get out of this redneck province.

So it's something like this:
No Saskatchewan superchargers/level 3
Plus
No 72 amp charger for model 3
Equals
No general public feasibility for long distance travel with the model 3 in sask


I definitely see value in what suncountry has done with the level 2 chargers across the trans Canada but I feel like they are missing out on a great business opportunity to establish a level 3 network on the trans Canada from Alberta to Manitoba. Why couldn't they set up a pay per use system thay could benefit every EV owner for long distance travel?
 
I think they should favour jurisdictions whose policies promote EVs. And that is also in their financial best interest as those jurisdictions will sell more Teslas and therefore use SCs more which will provide more revenue for Tesla, since those of us who SuperCharge for free will soon be an endangered species. But I guess you can argue that it is a chicken-egg situation. As I show in the graph below even if you adjust for population size all of the EVs sold in Canada have been in QC, ON and BC. When you don't adjust for population it is even more skewed (these are all EVs, not just Tesla)
evs_per_cap-jpg.221073
A graph of total EV sales does not necessarily correlate to SC deployment. As far as incentives, the Telsa price in Alberta for example with no PST is virtually the same as other provinces with PST and a rebate. Selling more Telsa's is probably more a function of the demographic of people that can afford one vs getting a rebate.