Tesla Supercharger Network

[evnow]

It's way way more complex than just the physical plug, they'd need to use a similar battery chemistry, BMS, and pack size to what Tesla used, or the packs would burn up.

LOL.

With QC the car determines the speed of charge.

 

[scottf200]

As a future Tesla Model X owner I'm not sure for road trips I would want to have to wait behind non-Tesla cars.

This page is updated with the maps in case it wasn't mentioned or seen.

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And this cool GIF from http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/30/autos/elon-musk-tesla-supercharger/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[evnow]

As a future Tesla Model X owner I'm not sure for road trips I would want to have to wait behind non-Tesla cars.

Scott, may be in 2 years we will have the same car (assuming TSLA doesn't tank before I can sell).

 

[mitch672]

It's way way more complex than just the physical plug, they'd need to use a similar battery chemistry, BMS, and pack size to what Tesla used, or the packs would burn up.

LOL.

With QC the car determines the speed of charge.

Yes and No. They are upgrading all SuperChargers to 120KW in the next 3 months, the 60 and 85 liquid cooled Model S packs can handle that at full rate, Tesla has no interest in slowing down the charge rate for other manufacturers vehicles, they also use (12) of the Model S chargers to make it work, and those chargers already can communicate with the Tesla pack. What Elon said was, if other mfrs want to make EVs compatable with the SuperChargers Tesla will work out a licensing deal, they are not interested in charging smaller packs that are not designed for the SC high current capability.

I full well know how the car and Chademo communicate, that has nothing to do with what I said.

 

[scottf200]

ASIDE:

As a future Tesla Model X owner I'm not sure for road trips I would want to have to wait behind non-Tesla cars.

Scott, may be in 2 years we will have the same car (assuming TSLA doesn't tank before I can sell).

How is that going to work? I get odd days and you get the even :lol: Wasn't sure about Tesla until the Model S became real enough to sell in reasonable volume in the USA, then with plans outside the USA, then the Model X, then the Superchargers, etc. The tech and software updatability of the cars is impressive!! I put a deposit in Feb'13 (been in my sig for that long) and I'm saving my allowance and packing my lunchbox. I don't own TSLA but Dollar Cost Averaging (401K, IRA, extra auto mutual funds investments) has worked well over the past couple decades for our two income family. Also nice for a couple of years of not driving the 2003 SUV daily (purchased used).

 

[cwerdna]

This page is updated with the maps in case it wasn't mentioned or seen.

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And this cool GIF from http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/30/autos/elon-musk-tesla-supercharger/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks! I didn't think to look there again and try out the slider for the manual version.

That's cool. That type of planning and communication is what I'm talking about! Nissan could sure do a lot better job of communicating where they're installing DCFCs. So far, there's been virtually nothing other than some statements w/numbers and just Leafers on their own scouting for info.

 

[scottf200]

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/show...3-05-30/page22?p=351656&viewfull=1#post351656

Tesla Motors, Inc. Supercharger (SC) Announcement
May 30, 2013 at 10:30 AM PT
Rough Transcript

3. Do you have any cost figures you can provide? At the original introduction, you had a ballpark for each station. Has the timetable accelerated a little bit (vs. 100 ...)?
Yes, it has [accelerated]. Cost is approximately what we first estimated, roughly $150K per station in expenditures without solar. And another $150K with solar. We'll probably be at the 100 station mark next year. About twice as fast as originally planned.

5b. Explain how the solar works for the stations that do have solar?
The general principle is that we want to generate more energy from the sun over the course of the year than used by Model S at the SCs.
Most SCing on Friday afternoon and evening. Low usage during the week.
The solar panels are generating power throughout the course of the week. Cumulatively adds up to more than the cars consume.
We actually have grid storage going on at some of our supercharging stations. Stationary battery packs that take in energy through the week, through the solar panels. The solar panels charge the battery pack, and then that stationary battery pack charges the Model S battery pack. Capable of going completely off-grid. These stations will operate even if the national grid goes down.
(Joking) Zombie apocalypse you'll still be able to charge with the SC system.

5c. Solar panel location?
Above the SC parking stalls. Examples at Tejon and Hawthorne. Over time we'll have that at all SC stations. Takes longer for panel installation.
Side benefit: carport, shielded from sun and rain while charging.

6. How much of an issue has reliability been on the SCs?
Need to make sure we have a lot of parking spaces available. SC has the ability to route power to multiple parking bays. Currently 2, but will be upgrading to 4. [some 8-10] Need to make sure there's always an excess of stations.

6b. Unmanned stations. Any issues with people showing up and it not working?
Multiple stations, redundancy. Minimum of 2 at each station. Thus, at least 4 parking bays. It's fairly unlikely that 2 or more would be down.
Superchargers...stacking a whole bunch of chargers designed for the cars. Twelve chargers inside. Redundancy. On failure power is reduced, rather than [offline].

10. Solar, superchargers, grid storage. Which percentage of SCs will have the solar component? Which percentage with have grid storage with that solar?
Long-term, all of them. Just a matter of time. In order to expand rapidly, install without them and backfill over time. Solar lag behind SC installation 12-18 months. Grid storage 6-12 months after that.

10b. Solar before storage?
Yes.

10c. How many grid storage so far? How big are they?
Two in operation now. Pretty sizeable. Half MWh. Capable of putting out a MW if need be.

10d. Where?
Rather not say so people don't futz with them. California.
Grid storage is a helpful thing because it offers a buffer to the grid. They like.

13. Clarification on number of SC plugs now vs. this year, EONY.
Don't have the number handy. One thing that's not obvious: in addition to new stations, we're increasing the number of ports at existing stations.
Example: Harris used to have just 1 port. Now it has 10. Not reflected in the map.

13b. [Followup question about impact of ports increasing]
Two to three thousand [charging] ports... (once 200 SCs rolled out ... at 10+ parking bays)

 

[DaveEV]

Wow, had no idea Tesla already had battery storage at a couple SuperCharger stations. That's critical for being "nice" on the grid and minimizing demand charges - 500 kWh storage capable of 1 MW of power - definitely enough to last through a busy Friday afternoon/evening for a couple SuperChargers.

They are doing all the right things - multiple stations for redundancy (you hear that all your CHAdeMO installers?!?), storage to minimize impact on the grid and minimize demand charges, solar PV to keep the stations CO2 neutral... Very impressive.

Everyone else has a long ways to go to catch up.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Wow, had no idea Tesla already had battery storage at a couple SuperCharger stations. That's critical for being "nice" on the grid and minimizing demand charges - 500 kWh storage capable of 1 MW of power - definitely enough to last through a busy Friday afternoon/evening for a couple SuperChargers.

They are doing all the right things - multiple stations for redundancy (you hear that all your CHAdeMO installers?!?), storage to minimize impact on the grid and minimize demand charges, solar PV to keep the stations CO2 neutral... Very impressive.

Everyone else has a long ways to go to catch up.

just to add, reports of Centrailia charging station 8-12 charging sites, built from new on Tesla owned property so no negotiations, no vendors, no nothing. all Tesla.

 

[scottf200]

The maps on this first post are great!
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/8590-Tesla-Supercharger-network" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This interactive map is cool too: http://daxzeal.com/SuperChargerMap.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[scottf200]

Three More Tesla Superchargers Go On-line
http://insideevs.com/three-more-tesla-superchargers-go-on-line/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tesla Motors recently opened three additional Supercharger stations – two in California and one in Connecticut. This is in addition to the one that recently went live in Normal, IL.

The Normal, IL one I can use (future Model X) on some trips I typically take.

Latest Tesla Supercharger Station Goes Live in Port St. Lucie, Florida
http://insideevs.com/latest-tesla-supercharger-station-goes-live-in-port-st-lucie-florida/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This station offers 8 charging points and is located in Port St. Lucie Florida. This is the first of several (at least 3 in the very near future and then more after that) planned Superchargers for the state.

 

[DaveEV]

This station offers 8 charging points

Tesla really knows how to open a charging station and give owners the confidence that it will be available.

I'm not aware of a single location with more than one CHAdeMO station in the lower-48...

That said, I do think it's a mistake to not offer at least a couple L2 plugs next to most of these Superchargers - what better way to sell more Model Ss than to leave other EV owners stuck on L2 watch dozens of Model S pick up a charge (for free) while they sit around and twiddle their thumbs?

 

[Randy]

Drees,
I don't know why the Supercharger sites don't have to comply with ADA parking and striping requirements, but if they added L2 I'd have to think that it would trigger those types of questions in many jurisdictions....It can be difficult to achieve compliance (and expensive)...The parking places have to be within a 2% slope, there are "path of travel" requirements, etc.

In my experience, the ADA stuff if probably the second biggest impediment to the installation of charging stations. The biggest item is the view by property owners that they are losing parking places in their lots with dedicated EV charging spaces.

I believe that Tesla gets around that concern by leasing spaces from the property owners when necessary.

 

[GRA]

Tesla's Supercharger map also shows Ft. Myers on line now, with another 8 stalls. If my total is correct, that makes 85 [Edit: Just counted. 95] superchargers installed. Nissan's QC installation pace looks (and is) pathetic in comparison, especially when you consider that none of Nissan's locations has more than a single QC, most of them are only open during business hours and they're only at dealers. I don't know what Tesla's capital value is right now, but I suspect it's in the same ballpark as Nissan's net _profit_ last fiscal year (through March 31st) of $3.4 billion, so this is adding up to another indication of Nissan's incompetence.

 

[mkjayakumar]

...indication of Nissan's incompetence..

rather, differing priorities. You can't compare a company whose focus is only EV, to another one whose 99.9% is all on the polluters. And also Musk probably makes an instant decision, whereas I would guess there is a chain of command and an elaborate process in Nissan

 

[EVDRIVER]

...indication of Nissan's incompetence..

rather, differing priorities. You can't compare a company whose focus is only EV, to another one whose 99.9% is all on the polluters. And also Musk probably makes an instant decision, whereas I would guess there is a chain of command and an elaborate process in Nissan

Exactly correct. In addition, dealers are not Nissan owned and should never be forced to provide free charging to consumers unless voluntarily or compensated. The burden of becoming a public charging place could be a real pain for some dealers.

 

[scottf200]

This article made some great points.

Op-Ed: Here’s Whats Makes the Tesla Supercharger Network Model Revolutionary
56 mins ago by Mark Kane
http://insideevs.com/op-ed-heres-whats-makes-the-tesla-supercharger-network-model-revolutionary" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

1. Not selling electricity <snip>
2. Less places, but many at one place and with high power <snip>
3. Using power modules from electric cars <snip>

 

[GRA]

...indication of Nissan's incompetence..

rather, differing priorities. You can't compare a company whose focus is only EV, to another one whose 99.9% is all on the polluters. And also Musk probably makes an instant decision, whereas I would guess there is a chain of command and an elaborate process in Nissan

Exactly correct. In addition, dealers are not Nissan owned and should never be forced to provide free charging to consumers unless voluntarily or compensated. The burden of becoming a public charging place could be a real pain for some dealers.

Of course they have differing priorities, and I'm not suggesting that Nissan should force dealers to do anything. Indeed, I've said repeatedly that putting QCs at dealers is usually the worst possible place for them. But Nissan, in the person of its CEO, says that it's committed to EVs, and yet they have made repeated and wholly unnecessary missteps and gaffes as far as supporting EVs once you get beyond introducing the Leaf itself, for which they deserve credit. Follow-through is what's lacking, as well as any sense of urgency. Tesla has already installed almost four times as many QCs as Nissan has, in better locations and in less time despite having to pay to rent or buy the land.[Edit: As it turns out, they don't even have to pay for the land. See my post downthread] Describing Nissan's QC program as incompetent by comparison is pretty mild, IMO. If the dealers are holding things up, then Nissan can do just what Tesla has been doing, and put the QCs in better locations with 24/7 access, which I think is what they should have been doing from the get-go in any case.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Nissan would get left holding the power bill forever with you model (as Tesla does).

The dealers pay the power now, which is why they aren't too keen on you using them.

 

[GRA]

From insideevs.com:

"Tech Crunch: What It Takes To Be A Tesla Supercharger Partner"

http://insideevs.com/tech-crunch-what-it-takes-to-be-a-tesla-supercharger-partner/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;