When should I use a Supercharger?

[justabrake]

Supercharging is best reserved for long-distance travel. One should not consider Supercharging for their daily charging needs since daily Supercharging will reduce the life of the battery.

Additionally, it’s both cheaper and more convenient to charge up at home. With a gas car, filling up is an errand – you need to stop somewhere to put fuel in your car. With an electric car you can refuel your car every time you get home while you use your time for something else, like sleeping.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The ideal way to operate an electric vehicle is to unplug it in the morning, drive wherever you need to during the day, and charge it back up at home overnight. The extended period a car sits while its driver sleeps allows for ample time to replenish a full charge. Your home is your fueling station, there’s no need to go anywhere to recharge your car on a daily or weekly basis.

Is free Supercharging worth it? A guide to Tesla’s Supercharging Network

 

[qdeathstar]

yes?

 

[Aellinsar]

(Moderator note: thread title edited at 4:55PM to take it out of all caps)

Why have an all-caps thread title with a question mark and then not have a question in your post? if you want to post your opinion, just state it as such.

At my AEP electric rates and Tesla's Ohio supercharger rates, teh cost difference between home charging and a supercharger is very small. I haven't measured charge losses at home, but I've seen ~80% efficiency reported around here. That might push supercharging to be slightly cheaper.

But from a time/convenience perspective, home charging can't be beaten.

 

[justabrake]

yes?

So if your an apartment dweller and have no means to charge at night or at work during the day you should not consider a Tesla if you have plans only using a supercharger you'll wear down the battery prematurely

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Why have an all-caps thread title with a question mark and then not have a question in your post? if you want to post your opinion, just state it as such.

Because mememememememememememememememememe.

 

[Nate977p]

So if your an apartment dweller and have no means to charge at night or at work during the day you should not consider a Tesla if you have plans only using a supercharger you'll wear down the battery prematurely

Pardon, but no. Apartment dweller here who is on track to average 35k miles in first year (currently at 30k). Larger majority of those are on SC as my apartment does not have charging. My full charge is down to about 300 miles from 310. On addition they literally made a different SC type (Urban) for this use case and when talking free unlimited supercharger, Elon claimed it's a steal of a deal at $5000kl (the refund they give you if you give it up). In a high-cost electricity market, that works out to about 65k mile break even on SC, meaning high SC use should be okay.

In addition, besides the issues that were on some early 90KwH (I think it was those at least) Model S, heavy SC has been fine. If I am wrong, please give me facts on large long-term negatives? If so I'll be in a world of hurt

They bill the network, especially Urban, for people in my situation, and it has been successful for me.

 

[Troy]

@justabrake, the opening message is confusing. Is this somebody else's opinion that you agree with?

 

[SPIKE's M3AWD]

Tesla has an excellent battery management system in both the car and the external chargers so SC does not damage the batteries that much. Overheating, the main issue is kept to a minimum.

Charging to more than 80% does worse damage to battery life in a Tesla. Charging to 100% leave no room for excess electrons so they burn off and decrease your battery capacity. And even that is OK if you charge to 100% and immediately drive it back down to 80%. Is there a post showing battery degradation vs. % of SC use?

 

[SteveOfMo]

So if your an apartment dweller and have no means to charge at night or at work during the day you should not consider a Tesla if you have plans only using a supercharger you'll wear down the battery prematurely

So if your an apartment dweller and have no means to charge at night or at work during the day you should not consider a Tesla if you have plans only using a supercharger you'll wear down the battery prematurely

I'm not an apartment dweller but I disagree. Tesla provides a warranty on their battery and their own charging stations. So living in an apartment shouldn't eliminate someone from owning a Tesla.

 

[Pkmmte]

So if your an apartment dweller and have no means to charge at night or at work during the day you should not consider a Tesla if you have plans only using a supercharger you'll wear down the battery prematurely

I lived in an apartment for the first year I owned my Model 3. I would often supercharge from 20% to 90% three times each week. Last time I checked, my car still reads 314 miles. (was 313 when I first got it)

 

[qdeathstar]

So if your an apartment dweller and have no means to charge at night or at work during the day you should not consider a Tesla if you have plans only using a supercharger you'll wear down the battery prematurely

Free country man.

 

[Dan203]

So if your an apartment dweller and have no means to charge at night or at work during the day you should not consider a Tesla if you have plans only using a supercharger you'll wear down the battery prematurely

Petition your landlord or HOA to install a level 2 charger in your lot.

Tesla isn't saying you "can't" use the supercharger every day. They're just warning you that if you do you'll diminish the life of the battery. It's still your choice. If you want to risk it then feel free. This is a technological limitation, not some sort of corporate enforcement.

 

[T3SLAROD]

I thought Musk said daily charging to 90% is the right thing to do? WTF

 

[Nate977p]

I thought Musk said daily charging to 90% is the right thing to do? WTF

That was my understanding too

 

[ewoodrick]

Supercharging is best reserved for long-distance travel. One should not consider Supercharging for their daily charging needs since daily Supercharging will reduce the life of the battery.

Want to specify anything to backup your statement?
Did you know that some of the highest mileage Tesla Supercharge multiple times a day?

I'll agree that Supercharging is a lousy experience and that charging at home is the way to go. But that Supercharging will harm your battery isn't a proven fact.

 

[Dan203]

Want to specify anything to backup your statement?
Did you know that some of the highest mileage Tesla Supercharge multiple times a day?

I'll agree that Supercharging is a lousy experience and that charging at home is the way to go. But that Supercharging will harm your battery isn't a proven fact.

It's a direct quote from the article he linked to.

 

[Bill Foster]

I DONT UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF THIS THREAD

 

[SSonnentag]

I haven't measured charge losses at home, but I've seen ~80% efficiency reported around here.

TeslaFi reports my level 2 charging efficiency as between 90% and 93%. I haven't found any correlation between level 2 charge efficiency and charge rate or voltage. The numbers seem to jump all over the place, but average between 90% and 93%. Efficiency may be more related to what charge connector you're using.

Charging at my RV site during the week using a Clipper Creek J1772 unit:
245V at 18A - 89.59% efficiency average over 310 charging sessions.

Charging at home using Tesla HPWC:
242V at 72A - 91.89% efficiency average over 167 charging sessions.

Charging at my parent's house using NEMA 14-50 outlet and mobile connector that came with the car:
245V at 40A - 93.18% efficiency average over 8 charging sessions.

 

[Kognos]

I use supercharging all the time, because I have oodles of free miles to consume and a six-month window to consume them in. With the possible exception of issues when charging about 80%, there's no reason at all not to use a supercharger, regardless of one's opinion on what it is "best" used for. I have a freebie, I'm going to consume the heck out of it.

 

[brkaus]

I DONT UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF THIS THREAD

I WAS EXPECTING A VIDEO