What makes a Supercharger location great?

[trils0n]

Not going to include the basic things like:
-Functioning (Tesla stations are essentially always working, which is a sharp contrast to other charging networks)
-Available (Superchargers have lots of plugs at each location, unlike all other charging networks)

So my list is:
1) Location (close to freeway/highway, and along route of travel, because going out of your way is inconvenient)
2) Bathroom (preferably 24/7)
3) Decent food (most of my stops end up corresponding with meal time, so it makes sense to eat while I charge)

 

[Derek Kessler]

You don't eat said tacos in your Tesla, do you?!

Heavens no! I'm not an animal!

 

[cpa]

Good post!

There should be trash receptacles easily seen and proximate to the SC's.

In approximate descending order of importance to me:

Well-lit area with decent food options and restrooms or shopping during "normal" driving hours, say 8AM (for those early birds) to 10PM.

Nice motel with restrooms available.

Well-lit area with 24-hour ordinary food options and restrooms--like Denny's.

Places that have < 1/4 mile walk to a variety of places to eat.

Places that are next to fast food and nothing else.

Everything else, including rest areas along highways and parking structures.

And, preferably no more than 5 minutes round trip from the highway.

 

[mikeash]

I'd like to add my voice to the 24-hour bathroom crowd. Yes, most people travel during the day, but we should try to accommodate everybody. On a long trip, the late hours can be a great time to put away the miles with the kids peacefully asleep. Something with a 24-hour convenience store would be ideal, never know when you might need a snack or something. McDonald's is also good, I'm not at all a fan of their food, but they don't hassle you for using their bathrooms without buying anything, and for food it's better than nothing.

My favorite ones are highway service areas like Newark, DE or Fort Drum, FL, where it's right on the way and there are good amenities. Ones where they're right next to the exit and have some stuff around are also quite good. My least favorite would be something like Riviera Beach, FL, where not only is there nothing really around, but it's inconvenient to get to from the highway and kind of sketchy after hours.

 

[freeewilly]

1. Always a open spot available
2. Clean restroom near by
3. Close to the freeway

 

[SW2Fiddler]

Buc-Ee's locations would check most people's boxes. Wiki
It's a chain of stores with as many as 42 gas pumps, which are low-priced to draw travelers into the store where they find the world's cleanest and most spacious restrooms, beverage and coffee fountain/bar, souvenirs, road snacks and most have a fresh food counter.
Contact Arch "Beaver" Aplin III to tell him how great Superchargers would be at his roadside meccas.

 

[Rifleman]

As a classic 60 owner, one of the biggest wish list items for me when it comes to supercharger placement is that they are close enough to the next supercharger to allow me to reach the next stop with sufficient margin without needing to charge above 80%

 

[Clomer]

My number 1 requirement is a free, clean restroom that is available 24/7. If it doesn't have this, it shouldn't even have gotten to the permit stage, let alone actually having gotten built. As long as it has this, I'll probably be happy.

 

[Rocky_H]

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.

Jeez, this is already getting out of hand. I see already:

“decent food”, “quality”, “healthy”

So it’s basically turning up your nose at fast food. But of course you all also want it to be open 24 hours. Sorry, unreasonable people, but this falls squarely in the definition of wanting to have your cake and eat it too.

 

[mikeash]

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for something good and something open 24 hours. They can be two different things! A location with a good food option during the day and a McDonald's or convenience store open 24/7 would be great.

 

[trils0n]

Jeez, this is already getting out of hand. I see already:

“decent food”, “quality”, “healthy”

So it’s basically turning up your nose at fast food. But of course you all also want it to be open 24 hours. Sorry, unreasonable people, but this falls squarely in the definition of wanting to have your cake and eat it too.

Decent food is out of hand? As the person who mentioned "decent food" I mentioned nothing about 24hr food. Just at regular meal times. (Denny's is decent, and usually open 24hrs). Fast food would be better than nothing, but there are any number of restaurants a step above fast food that are often at rest stop/shopping-center-type locations that superchargers are frequently located in. Those are nice to have.

 

[WATTS-UP]

Tesla should have partners with a hotel chain. They have great locations, generally at Hwy. exits, are open 24 hr. a day and have bath rooms. You can event stay the night. At most hotels you can have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Tesla likes the idea of Mall Supercharging most be a California thing.

 

[James Anders]

Bikini Wash Girls.

 

[dgpcolorado]

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.

I'm old enough to have been one of those gas station attendants who washed the windows!

After my first road trip during which I forgot my bucket and squeegee, I now make sure it is in the car on long trips. Bugs happen, at least in warm weather (a reason to appreciate winter).

 

[MDMGSO47]

You are down to 3 percent charge.

 

[iffatall]

...If Tesla is going to double the number of SCs in the next 2-3 years, maybe the next 275 can all be great!...

Going off topic a bit - Elon was very careful when making the announcement - doubt the superchargers. That does not mean double the locations. So it't not the next 275 locations, but the next 3500 chargers.

Locations, I am pretty sure, won't be doubled. I don't even expect a 50% increase. I expect only about a 100 new by end of 2017, at most.

Long back Elon said the cost of superchargers is included in the cost of the car. Which means the increase in the number of chargers should be proportional to sales. I agree there are operational and maintenance costs, so it wouldn't really be exactly proportional. But at least the growth rate should gradually increase as the sale rate is constantly increasing. I don't see this happening at all. So my expectations are very low, and at this rate, I would take a supercharger anywhere!

 

[Boatguy]

Locations, I am pretty sure, won't be doubled. I don't even expect a 50% increase. I expect only about a 100 new by end of 2017, at most

It looks like your guess of 100 is pretty accurate. Supercharge.info shows 26 in permit or under construction, in addition to 29 opened this year. If Tesla stays on that pace, about five new locations per month, then 120 during 2016-2017 would be a good estimate.

 

[iffatall]

Going off topic a bit - Elon was very careful when making the announcement - double the superchargers. That does not mean double the locations. So it't not the next 275 locations, but the next 3500 chargers.

[Typo]

 

[supratachophobia]

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.

Chicfilet. Period. End of story.

 

[Rocky_H]

Chicfilet. Period. End of story.

Nice. Although, for people not recognizing that, it's "Chick-Fil-A".