What makes a Supercharger location great?

[Boatguy]

Branching off the Favorite and Least Favorite thread, let's take the first derivative and see what makes a great Supercharger location. If Tesla is going to double the number of SCs in the next 2-3 years, maybe the next 275 can all be great!

I'll start off with the obvious. A clean, well lit 24/7 restroom.

 

[TES-E]

Easy access from interstates or major highways. 24 hour restaurant (solves bathroom problem).

 

[RogerHScott]

24 hour restaurant (solves bathroom problem)

Only if not "for customers only", unless you're happy with the idea of good old fashioned pay toilets.

 

[KJD]

Only if not "for customers only", unless you're happy with the idea of good old fashioned pay toilets.

Buying a cup of coffee or a bottled water makes me a customer, so not a big problem either way.

1) Somewhere to walk the dog without getting run over by a truck.
2) Decent food within walking distance

 

[jcaspar]

Far from residential areas to prevent local freeloaders from clogging it up!

 

[commasign]

Location within the parking lot is critical too. The charging stalls shouldn't be so far from the restaurant/store/hotel that is becomes a safety issue late at night. But it shouldn't be too close to the restaurant/store/hotel so as to invite ICEing.

 

[James Anders]

I would guess well lighted area for night time charging.

 

[ElectricTundra]

24 hour restaurant (solves bathroom problem).

I'd struggle with this one. Many 24-hr places fail on food quality, atmosphere/appeal, and clean restrooms as well as often being located in less desirable areas. How many people travel and need to charge between midnight and 5am vs the rest of the day? Now, to contradict myself a bit, I've written a few reviews on Chargerville and noted the potential for a charger location to perhaps not be very safe feeling during the middle of the night.

If Tesla can find a place and willing property owner that has some good quality (and healthy) cafés or restaurants as well as maybe a 24-hr McDonalds that would seem a good option.

 

[ElectricTundra]

Great thread BTW. Note that if you rate superchargers in Chargerville and why you like them then the best ones that we all want to be model locations to replicate (and why) will bubble to the top and provide Tesla with some great feedback. Somewhat similar with reviews on restaurants and other amenities.

Also, if you buy stuff at a store or restaurant then make sure to let them know that you're there because of the Supercharger.

 

[mspohr]

Picnic table.
Water and squeegee to wash windows.

 

[RogerHScott]

Water and squeegee to wash windows.

What, you didn't spring for the auto-window-clean option that uses the same rain detection technology to detect a dirty
windshield and automatically clean it for you?

 

[WarpedOne]

What makes a SC great?

Simple:
1. it is free when you get there
2. it works when you get there
3. it is where you need it without you driving many miles off your way just to add some E

Everything else is just icing on the cake.
No well-lit restroom will confer me if I must wait to start charging an hour or two, or if it is broken or if I must take a big detour to get to it.

 

[RogerHScott]

No well-lit restroom will confer me

"console"?

icing

That word is banned here

 

[WarpedOne]

engrish grrr...

 

[mspohr]

What, you didn't spring for the auto-window-clean option that uses the same rain detection technology to detect a dirty
windshield and automatically clean it for you?

I must have missed that option.
Window washing is the only thing I miss about gas stations. I am old enough to remember a time when they had actual attendants who washed the windows.

 

[RogerHScott]

engrish grrr...

Romunski koza mogoče govoriti slovensko bolje, kot sem lahko.

 

[Derek Kessler]

• Easy interstate access — we're supposed to be using these for long distance travel, which happens on highways.
• 24-hour access to something. Maybe a restaurant, or perhaps like the Cincinnati Supercharger, the customer lounge in the adjacent Tesla Store + Service Center.
• Tacos

 

[RogerHScott]

Tacos

You don't eat said tacos in your Tesla, do you?!
Food trucks (including, of course, taco trucks) should start frequenting the busier SC locations. That leaves out any anywhere near me...

 

[Skotty]

While tacos are probably one of the most awesome things on Earth (coming shortly after Tesla Motors and SpaceX), I can live without them at the supercharger. I agree with the basics most have already said. That it works, that it has reasonably easy access from travel lanes / interstate, and is well lit at night. And that it is not set up such that it would suffer from frequent icing. A nearby bathroom would also be handy so you don't have to make an extra stop for bathroom break. Might also be nice to have host sites maintain a window wash station (not an expectation, but it would be nice should any host sites offer it).

 

[Owner]

#1. Very easy access on and off the interstate

The faster the charge (which includes getting there), the more time for the rest of the journey.

Everything else is really less important.