[jontracey]

Yesterday at the Model S launch Elon seems to have indicated that there is going to be a change in the supercharger strategy in the UK. Possibly as part of the spat with ecotricity but I wonder if it goes further that that.

I imagine the pitch is easy to possible location owners you let us put a set of chargers here and we will bring you a large amount of customers who would not normally come here. I suspect the cafe at the Crystal is going so a big uptick in visitors in the next few months.

So instead of sitting at a motorway services eating burger king or drinking starbucks coffee, how much nicer would be to get to where you going and find a supercharger there.

If the plan as it seems, is to give access to tesla technology to other manufactuers that will allow them to build cars with 200-300 mile range and use superchargers, and Telsa are planning to blanket the UK with chargers at major popular destinations and make them available to cars of all types, will there be any need for motorway charging (except for current generation cars) ?

 

[Edd Beesley]

I think there will always be some, for road warriors, for holidays and once tesla have trucks and vans, to serve them too.

 

[Matt Beard]

I suspect that what happen is that many Ecotricity sites had no spare power to install ssuperchargers, but Tesla had by then seen the contracts and knew what reasons sites could use to end them early. They then used this knowledge to ask a few sites to back out and switch to being a supercharger-only site. That would explain a lot, but this is 100% speculation.

 

[jontracey]

what if the plan is to make superchargers the dominant charger everywhere, free to use but you have to buy a supercharger to Chademo or CCS adaptor. Once you have that you can use the network for free for ever ?

Elon seems very clear that charging is not going to be something that you have to pay for ever. If he can make the supercharger the dominant charger it will destroy the market for others who want to charge per charge. Yesterday he was saying the plan at the Crystal site is for 10-12 bays, if thats repeated everywhere and its open to other car/manufactuer types it will be amazing.

 

[Dean Hamer]

The best place for superchargers surely has to be motorway service stations (or very close to a motorway exit). With a 200+ mile EV like a Tesla you'r only going to be using these superchargers on the rare occasion when you make a long distance trip.

I wouldn't want to be making a 10 mile detour off a motorway to visit a supercharger.

 

[Paul]

I wouldn't want to be making a 10 mile detour off a motorway to visit a supercharger.

If range and cost of fuel were not an issue I'd happily travel 50 miles to avoid some of the scummy, run down service stations (and their prices).

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

@jontracey this is not a new policy but one that is now in the public domain

Tesla will install SuperChargers at all suitable third party sites and pay for the installation, electricity, and ongoing maintenance.

Tesla do NOT request any exclusivity and will collocate with any third party technology even supplying a power feed for that vendor. They want open driver access at all locations which IMO is why we haven't seen any co-located SuperChargers with the revenue generating vendors like CM, Ecotricity, Pod Point, etc.

Given the ZeroNet open access policy I'm sure you can see the synergy with Tesla especially when powered by a UK renewable energy company. We hope to announce our first locations in a few weeks

Personally I think the move away from service stations will be good news for all.

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

I wouldn't want to be making a 10 mile detour off a motorway to visit a supercharger.

Many thousands of suitable locations within 1 mile of a motorway exit.

I dropped into some service stations yesterday to test the Tesla 60A charging... quickly reminded me why I avoid them at all cost.

 

[Ian]

We actively avoid motorway service areas and now have a string of preferred rendezvous along the routes we commonly drive.

Those that own a Tesla at the moment, I suspect, will do the same. A quiet hotel with charging, quality food and drink and small village shops close by at a price less than a motorway service areas charge.

The UK has long history of growing villages and towns around communication limes and their convenient stopping points. Roads with coaching Inns, Canals and factories, Trains and village halts. I wonder if we shall be seeing the same evolution over the next 30 years. Banks of chargers together with solar/wind/nuclear generators and a village supplying the traveler's needs.

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

I suspect that what happen is that many Ecotricity sites had no spare power to install ssuperchargers

That's not the message on the ground and IMO this has much more to do with controlling access to 'high value' locations.

I believe that Tesla will just push through any restrictions they encounter and deploy a SuperCharger network for the benefit of all. IMO this is not unlike their battle with the US dealers who don't want Tesla selling direct to end users.

 

[jontracey]

The best place for superchargers surely has to be motorway service stations (or very close to a motorway exit). With a 200+ mile EV like a Tesla you'r only going to be using these superchargers on the rare occasion when you make a long distance trip.

I wouldn't want to be making a 10 mile detour off a motorway to visit a supercharger.

agree if your car only has an 80 mile range then 10 mile detour each way to charge is a lot, however once the 200+ mile range cars appear it wont be a problem, and the ability to find decent food, nice places to spend 30 mins rather than a service station will appeal to a lot of people

 

[jontracey]

@jontracey this is not a new policy but one that is now in the public domain

I suspect its undergone a massive rethink recently, the map tesla published a few weeks ago showing superchargers on the main motorways now seems redundant

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

I suspect its undergone a massive rethink recently, the map tesla published a few weeks ago showing superchargers on the main motorways now seems redundant

The policy has been consistent for a number of months but everyone was more focused on getting cars delivered and adding new sales/service locations. I have no doubt the recent court spat has reminded Tesla that sometimes you just have to make stuff happen and not rely on third parties to deliver. Elon said yesterday (can't remember if publicly or privately) that the UK is the third most important market for Tesla after the US and China and therefore we will see as much SuperCharger infrastructure here as we need.

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

sorry I missed you yesterday @jontracey We did look for you but didn't recognise you although we must have been close (I'm next to the SuperCharger in your third photo).

 

[jontracey]

@Kevin Sharpe I spoke to so many people yesterday I lost count That photo was grabbed over the heads of a lot of people so never saw who was in it until I got home :-(

 

[flipper]

If range and cost of fuel were not an issue I'd happily travel 50 miles to avoid some of the scummy, run down service stations (and their prices).

Have to admit, Thurrock services at 3am this morning was a miserable place.

 

[jontracey]

Have to admit, Thurrock services at 3am this morning was a miserable place.

Oh come on Thurrock services is like that every hour of the day

 

[Dean Hamer]

I'm not the biggest fan of motorway services. But these services will have the majority of the traffic passing there.

My opinion is the service stations need to improve and come up to the 21st century facilities. Take the new Gloucester services as an example.

Your not gonna win over these company executives and business men who drive BMW / Audi's up and down the motorways day in day out that to refuel your Model S you need to make a 10 mile detour off the motorway.

You may be happy to make that detour, but most.

 

[Jimbo]

Speaking from personal experience, these "company executives" wont be buying BEVs until they have a 500 mile range and recharge in less than 5 minutes. They'll be driving PHEV and probably 1 in 10 will actually charge the car rather than let the ICE charge it.

 

[Guesty]

I think this is a pretty exciting development. I was pretty unblown away when I saw the south mimms sc pics.

Already submitted a couple of idea of locations within 1mile of a motorway junction on the supercharger suggestion page.