LTLFTcomposite said:
Peak travel times are problematic
This is also true in a general sense. Travel is just generally harder at peak times. Where I live, for example, we are normally a 25 minute drive from the base of the mountain. Now, however, during the peak week between Christmas and New Year's, the drive can easily take three hours or longer. Everyone wants to see the snow, ski/snowboard at the resorts, or visit Santa's Village (a newly-reopened theme park).
With respect to SuperCharger congestion, while growing sales of Tesla vehicles are obviously a challenge, there are some very helpful trends:
1. Faster SuperCharging. Elon Musk recently tweeted that "SuperCharger V3" will be extraordinarily fast, capable of more than 350 kW of power. I expect this will only be available on new vehicles starting at some unknown, future date, and at only a fraction of SC sites. However, even with current vehicles, there's room to further improve average SC speeds by increasing the power available to each SuperCharger pair.
2. More SuperChargers. Some Tesla owners were reportedly able to bypass the wait at Barstow, CA by charging at Primm, NV and Rancho Cucamonga, CA. This wasn't an option in the early days. And by adding more SuperChargers on key corridors, Tesla has reduced congestion at individual sites. A number of us are hoping for an SC at Baker, CA (between Barstow and Primm), for instance.
3. More vehicle range. By improving vehicle efficiency and selling vehicles with larger battery sizes, Tesla is helping to reduce the need for Supercharger stops. With our Model S 85, for example, we can drive from our home to Las Vegas on a single charge, provided I don't have too much of a lead foot, and we can make it home from Primm, NV on a charge. Likewise, we can make a round trip to/from Los Angeles without stopping to charge.
4. More destination charging. Tesla has been subsidizing the installation of L2 charging stations at various locations, and PlugShare shows a growing number of other options. Getting a full charge at one's destination is immensely helpful in avoiding some SuperCharger stops!