Western Canada Superchargers

[Nappe]

Regarding the inaccuracy of the range prediction on those mountain roads, I did observe that the energy usage is much higher than predicted on the ascents. Especially on a hot day. I think the car is working hard to cool the battery because the battery is working hard to propel the car against gravity. I had an occasion where I had to get to Kelowna from Hope without a comfortable margin for charge and my wife had a flight to catch at the Kelowna airport. We found that if we went 100 km/h on the uphills and 130 km/h on the downhills, we would arrive at the airport with 10% battery and 15 minutes to spare, whereas before that adjustment, the system predicted that we did not have enough energy to make it.

 

[Chaiski]

I've heard nothing to suggest they even have a site identified in Merritt yet. It isn't necessarily a required stop for most travelers (especially with Kelowna online now), although the return of the 60 kWh models might change that. I'll check in with my contacts again and see what I can learn.

Thank you for your posts and looking into the Merritt SC. Our family will be picking up a MX 60D end of Sept/Oct so we have been egarly awaiting any Merritt SC news. Our DS mentioned a "meeting" about this SC location a few weeks ago. No further info given to us since

 

[cmt489]

Made it to Kelowna with a full car and four bikes on he back. Charged to 100% in Hope and was pretty nervous until we started dropping into Kelowna. I also kept below posted speeds for most of the trip with range mode on. Elevation really is a killer in the X. I have a chademo adapter and might just stop in Meritt for a quick top off on the way back (to alleviate MY range anxiety). The Meritt Supercharger will be my best friend when it arrives. All in all though, the X is amazing to drive on road trips. Could not be more pleased with my purchase.

 

[beeeerock]

Made it to Kelowna with a full car and four bikes on he back. Charged to 100% in Hope and was pretty nervous until we started dropping into Kelowna. I also kept below posted speeds for most of the trip with range mode on. Elevation really is a killer in the X. I have a chademo adapter and might just stop in Meritt for a quick top off on the way back (to alleviate MY range anxiety). The Meritt Supercharger will be my best friend when it arrives. All in all though, the X is amazing to drive on road trips. Could not be more pleased with my purchase.

So do you recall what you had left in the batteries when you got to Kelowna? If you're driving a 90 with bikes on the back, at less than the posted speed limit, your consumption probably isn't too far off of 'no bikes, speed limit, bad weather'. If a 90 is tight for charge, I wonder if a 60 would make it.

I wouldn't doubt that the constant battery capacity upgrading we were seeing took Merritt off of their critical path. The Merritt Supercharger becomes important again, now that 60's are being offered once more.

 

[Morristhecat]

If a 90 is tight for charge, I wonder if a 60 would make it.
.

I doubt a X60 will make it. I did that drive last year in my S60 and decided to top up for 20 minutes at the Chademo in Merrit just for safety. Everyone drives the Okanagen Highway so fast it just doesn't feel comfortable going less than 130km/h, which doesn't help with efficiency.

 

[Chaiski]

Made it to Kelowna with a full car and four bikes on he back. Charged to 100% in Hope and was pretty nervous until we started dropping into Kelowna. I also kept below posted speeds for most of the trip with range mode on. Elevation really is a killer in the X. I have a chademo adapter and might just stop in Meritt for a quick top off on the way back (to alleviate MY range anxiety). The Meritt Supercharger will be my best friend when it arrives. All in all though, the X is amazing to drive on road trips. Could not be more pleased with my purchase.

Welcome to Kelowna! I think we may have passed you on Lakeshore around 11 this morning. If so, your X looks great! And thanks for posting the info on your trip over. Like yourself and other posters, I hope the Merritt SC is in the cards for 2016-17. With a MX 60 we will need it!

 

[beeeerock]

Merritt Supercharger! Sounds like it's more than a pipe dream this time. From what I can gather, it's likely going in near the Wal-Mart and Wagon West Travel Centre. There's a hotel going in at the moment and it looks very much like a Best Western. Given the relationship Tesla seems to have built with Best Western, my money is on the Supercharger going into that parking lot. Only down side to that is, I don't see them opening it up to us until the hotel is also open (access completed, power on etc.). Last time I drove by, the building was fairly far along, but probably a few months from being open still. My guess is we could see it added to the network later this fall.... hopefully in time to support winter ski trips in the 60 kWh models!

 

[gpetti]

I've heard nothing to suggest they even have a site identified in Merritt yet. It isn't necessarily a required stop for most travelers (especially with Kelowna online now), although the return of the 60 kWh models might change that. I'll check in with my contacts again and see what I can learn.

One could argue that some other chargers are technically not required stops, e.g. we didn't stop in Revelstoke on the way out from Calgary and instead charged in Kelowna. The thing about Merritt is that the trip from Hope going East can be unpredictable as many have identified due to speed, wind, weather and the large altitude changes. if someone really wants to drive 120 or 129 or whatever, they better charge pretty fully in Hope, particularly if they're not headed in the direction of Kelowna. At the risk of offending any Hopians, I've heard some people suggest that they might not want to spend an hour or more in Hope. Given that the last time I was there a brawl erupted outside the liquor store that ended up in the Supercharger parking lot, I am not in a position to argue with them I think Merritt provides an important option even if technically for most cars over 60KWH it is not critical.

 

[cmt489]

So do you recall what you had left in the batteries when you got to Kelowna? If you're driving a 90 with bikes on the back, at less than the posted speed limit, your consumption probably isn't too far off of 'no bikes, speed limit, bad weather'. If a 90 is tight for charge, I wonder if a 60 would make it.

I wouldn't doubt that the constant battery capacity upgrading we were seeing took Merritt off of their critical path. The Merritt Supercharger becomes important again, now that 60's are being offered once more.

I don't know what I had specifically other than a rated range of 60 km after doing the highway from Merritt to Kelowna at 100 km/h. I also had the rear climate control off and even turned the climate control off entirely for a while. As it stands I do not believe that a 60D would make it, especially in winter with having to heat the cabin.

 

[cmt489]

Welcome to Kelowna! I think we may have passed you on Lakeshore around 11 this morning. If so, your X looks great! And thanks for posting the info on your trip over. Like yourself and other posters, I hope the Merritt SC is in the cards for 2016-17. With a MX 60 we will need it!

Yes, that definitely would have been us and thank you. We are staying at the Monteo and were out driving around that time

 

[green1]

Had a ranger visit yesterday, he showed up in a ford f250 diesel. I asked why tesla didn't have him in a model x and he said simply "the charging network just isn't there"
C'mon tesla, when you as a company have range anxiety it doesn't inspire confidence! Get us some superchargers!

 

[Stephen4]

I hear ya. Just finished a monster drive from Vancouver to Washington DC and up into Ontario to visit family, and back, some 13,700kms. All through the US, because we are pretty much hooped between Saskatchewan and Northern Ontario.

Tesla needs to connect Canada along the TransCanada.

 

[gpetti]

I hear ya. Just finished a monster drive from Vancouver to Washington DC and up into Ontario to visit family, and back, some 13,700kms. All through the US, because we are pretty much hooped between Saskatchewan and Northern Ontario.

Tesla needs to connect Canada along the TransCanada.

That has been expressed as an objective, possibly for next year by some Tesla personnel. I have no doubt that it will happen, it is just a question of when as usual.

 

[Paul Carter]

That has been expressed as an objective, possibly for next year by some Tesla personnel. I have no doubt that it will happen, it is just a question of when as usual.

Yea, I would think they would connect to Calgary and Winnipeg from the USA first, then fill out east to west afterwards.

 

[green1]

Yea, I would think they would connect to Calgary and Winnipeg from the USA first, then fill out east to west afterwards.

That is the stated plan, and the winnipeg and calgary US connections are on the "2016" map, though I would be shocked if they happen even as early as 2017 the way Tesla goes, and their complete neglect of the Canadian supercharger situation.

 

[S'toon]

That has been expressed as an objective, possibly for next year by some Tesla personnel.

This is news to me. At this rate I'll be surprised if it ever happens.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I hear ya. Just finished a monster drive from Vancouver to Washington DC and up into Ontario to visit family, and back, some 13,700kms. All through the US, because we are pretty much hooped between Saskatchewan and Northern Ontario.

Tesla needs to connect Canada along the TransCanada.

According to Google Maps, the fastest routes across Canada are through the USA anyway. But Google Maps doesn't speed, of course.

 

[S'toon]

According to Google Maps, the fastest routes across Canada are through the USA anyway. But Google Maps doesn't speed, of course.

It's not for just the folks in BC and ON. Those of us who live in the supercharger black hole wind up with a 2 day drive to get to the supercharger network. Drive until you run out of range, then spend several hours charging up at a Sun Country Highway charger. Some of the people on this board from my province are willing to do that, I'm not. For me if there's no network, there's no road trips, no Tesla.

 

[Stephen4]

According to Google Maps, the fastest routes across Canada are through the USA anyway. But Google Maps doesn't speed, of course.

True, and the speed limits are higher in the US. But like S'toon suggests, there's a huge area between Saskatchewan and Ontario that is devoid of superchargers. I too won't go on a long trip unless there are superchargers...

 

[gpetti]

This is news to me. At this rate I'll be surprised if it ever happens.

This has not been formally announced but I've been told by a Tesla employee that the supercharger team have been lobbied by Tesla sales staff as well and (I may not be remembering the exact language) they seem to think that the supercharger team are considering the eastern route from Calgary as one of the next areas of focus. Obviously, even if this is true (and I believe it is) This could be anytime from 2017 to 2018 so not that useful to you at this point.