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NEXT UP: Supercharger Network in SOUTHEAST

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Just read a response that was shared from Tesla Supercharging Team:

Message to the supercharging team from me:

Folks,

I just completed my first Supercharged drive. I went from Burnsville MN to Champaign IL, stopping at LaCross, Mauston, Madison, Rockford and Normal.

All I can say is WOW. What a great experience. The trip seemed to go much quicker when going from one station to the next, and with the frequent stops, I arrived at my destination with no fatigue at all! I found that I was ready for a bathroom break or a meal each time I arrived at a new location, and so the spacing is perfect.

The superchargers themselves could not be easier to use. Remove the cord from the holster, press the button to open the door, and plug it in! Amazing. No breakers to switch, no card to swipe, nothing. Very nice.

Given the lightning speed that the stations are being built, I was thinking that there are bound to be some teething problems, but I didn't notice any.

I will be returning on Friday/Saturday, and I am looking forward to driving the route again.

I would like to be able to drive from Minneapolis to Tampa Florida (via Indianapolis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta). I hope that route gets some attention. I think the Chicago folks would appreciate it too.

Very well done, and keep up the fabulous work!

Response from the supercharging team to me:

Thank you for your email. It is always great to receive positive customer feedback and we are happy you are enjoying the Supercharger network! We are in the process of developing our Southeastern network, so stay tuned for updates and announcements.

We appreciate your enthusiasm and support of Tesla and our Supercharger technology.

Thanks,
Tesla Supercharger Team

So, anybody with a little bit of scouting ability and some spare time: Time to start looking along the I-10 corridor for possible and FUTURE Supercharger locations.
Because they are coming.
And SOON.

Supercharging the Southeast is next on Tesla's horizon....
 
Supercharging the Southeast is next on Tesla's horizon....

I wish that was true but reading between the lines I can't find any new or upgraded commitment. Tesla's map suggests one is coming to the northwest of Indianapolis and Louisville in 2014. Nashville TN, Chattanooga TN, and Montgomery AL have to wait until 2015.

2015 doesn't have an Atlanta to Memphis route. I-65 needs a SC in Decatur AL which is 126 miles from Chattanooga, 117 from Nashville, 82 miles north of Birmingham. Would serve for both north-south and east-west. Another in Corinth MS and you have Atlanta to Memphis.

I find it lacking that Birmingham and Meridian MS are not on the SC schedules.
 
I wish that was true but reading between the lines I can't find any new or upgraded commitment. Tesla's map suggests one is coming to the northwest of Indianapolis and Louisville in 2014. Nashville TN, Chattanooga TN, and Montgomery AL have to wait until 2015.

2015 doesn't have an Atlanta to Memphis route. I-65 needs a SC in Decatur AL which is 126 miles from Chattanooga, 117 from Nashville, 82 miles north of Birmingham. Would serve for both north-south and east-west. Another in Corinth MS and you have Atlanta to Memphis.

I find it lacking that Birmingham and Meridian MS are not on the SC schedules.

Again, I still think the I-10 corridor will be one of the focuses of the next Supercharger linkage, connecting Texas to Florida.

As the weather improves and gets warmer, probably the I-40 corridor will follow suit.

Baby steps, then some fill-in corridors.
And more fill in locations.
This is a very dynamic Work-In-Progress.
If you have a desired route you would like to be installed, my suggestion would be to e-mail Tesla Motors your routes and general locations for their review and consideration.
Better yet, If you know of a business that would be a willing and suitable partner to host a Supercharger location, forward that information on to Tesla Motors.
BTW: The Tesla Motors "future" Supercharger map is only an approximation, and does not indicate the exact conclusive final location(s).

In 11 1/4 months, many more Superchargers will be completed.
Think Big Picture, not immediate (6 week) window.
 
Tesla real estate was recently in Atlanta to pick out the location for the Atlanta Supercharger. It is planed for the I-85/I-75 corridor in Downtown giving access to Augusta and Birmingham(I am hoping for Atlantic Station). So once the papers are signed ATL will be set and 3 more coming in GA. That will give us Savannah (already live) Atlanta, then we should be seeing Commerce, Macon and I-75 near the GA/FL line.
 
Tesla real estate was recently in Atlanta to pick out the location for the Atlanta Supercharger. It is planed for the I-85/I-75 corridor in Downtown giving access to Augusta and Birmingham(I am hoping for Atlantic Station). So once the papers are signed ATL will be set and 3 more coming in GA. That will give us Savannah (already live) Atlanta, then we should be seeing Commerce, Macon and I-75 near the GA/FL line.
Interesting. Do you have an inside source or is this speculation? I wonder if/when Tesla will consider destinations north out of Atlanta?
 
Tesla real estate was recently in Atlanta to pick out the location for the Atlanta Supercharger. It is planed for the I-85/I-75 corridor in Downtown giving access to Augusta and Birmingham(I am hoping for Atlantic Station). So once the papers are signed ATL will be set and 3 more coming in GA. That will give us Savannah (already live) Atlanta, then we should be seeing Commerce, Macon and I-75 near the GA/FL line.

I hope you're right about Atlanta otherwise there will be a large gap between Macon and Chattanooga for Midwest folks going to and from Florida. I-75 just happens to be major channel to and from Florida for them.
 
I hadn't thought about putting a SuperCharger in Atlanta, I'd always assumed they'd put them between Atlanta and the surrounding cities.

But, if they are going to put one in the city, the most logical place for travelers would be to place it near Turner Field (the old Olympic Stadium - soon to be torn down) near the intersection of I-20, I-75, I-85. Although, most travelers try to bypass actually traveling through the downtown because of traffic congestion. That area is supposed to be redeveloped... but that's years off in the future.

Atlantic Station would be convenient for the Downtown Connector (I-75, I-85 merge) and has amenities. It would not be too far away from I-20 for those going east-west. Depending upon time of day, of course.
 
I hadn't thought about putting a SuperCharger in Atlanta, I'd always assumed they'd put them between Atlanta and the surrounding cities.

But, if they are going to put one in the city, the most logical place for travelers would be to place it near Turner Field (the old Olympic Stadium - soon to be torn down) near the intersection of I-20, I-75, I-85. Although, most travelers try to bypass actually traveling through the downtown because of traffic congestion. That area is supposed to be redeveloped... but that's years off in the future.

Atlantic Station would be convenient for the Downtown Connector (I-75, I-85 merge) and has amenities. It would not be too far away from I-20 for those going east-west. Depending upon time of day, of course.
I thought the same thing. Typically they do NOT want to put SuperChargers in major metropolis areas. My thinking is that they would put them about 100 miles OUTSIDE of Atlanta to avoid local charging.
 
Chipper,

I actually have multiple sources. A Tesla Supercharger Senior person I meet recently. A contact at Southern Company (power provider whom recently ordered a Tesla) and then an independent EV contractor. They were my source for Savannah well before hand so I am very confident. As of 7 weeks ago Tesla was doing preliminary contract negotiations with multiple sites ALL on the I-75 and I-85 connector in Downtown Atlanta. So based on previous info I would imagine we are 4-6 months away. I really can't say more because several NDA's but I feel extremely confident on the plans.

BTW: Was that you who waved at me coming home from the Tesla Grand Opening? We were at the 75/575 split I was in the Red MS?


Interesting. Do you have an inside source or is this speculation? I wonder if/when Tesla will consider destinations north out of Atlanta?
 
Yup...that was me!! I was headed back to Chattanooga. I hope your sources are correct, but I am still VERY surprised since Tesla's philosophy has always been to build superchargers outside of major metropolitan areas. But nothing would please me more if I were able to finally not be landlocked. My thinking was that they would put one in Chattanooga (confluence of I-75 and I-24) for those in Atlanta and Nashville and Birmingham and Knoxville prior to putting one in Atlanta for me. :smile:
 
It was great timing - I was just looking two days ago at the Jackson, MS SpC dot showing on the "2015" map - when news came of a Jackson owner finally giving MS the #50 state status.

But I had been wondering: that particular (tentative, I understand) SpC would appear to be the single most isolated SpC of the network - barely connected to the others, as it would seem to be reachable only via Gulfport. Have any of you Southeasterners been contemplating - and submitting to Tesla's SpC crew - ideas for an efficient Southeast grid?
 
Do you really think one in Knoxville is enough?

I think the first one should be at the campbell station road exit of I-40/I-75 (its just a few miles from the southern split) there are plenty of retail businesses there and it's still on the outside edge of the city/metro area, and putting one there services the Knoxville to Nashville route and the Knoxville to Chattanooga route.

But what about Knoxville to Lexington or Knoxville to Bristol or Knoxville to Asheville

You could move the single supercharger to a more central location like the I-40/I-640 junction but then it lengthens the trip required for the west (Nashville) and south (Chattanooga) legs. It also puts the supercharger well inside the city promoting local charging. It's also not as nice a part of town, not ideal in my book for several reasons.

So if you do multiples are you concerned with all 3 major routes out of Knoxville or just 2?

Another good spot would be east at the Strawberry Plains exit or Dandridge exit on I-40, well outside of the normal Knoxville city flow but has hotels/gas/etc at that exit. This feeds the routes to Bristol, Asheville, and Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg (major tourist trap and gateway to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park).

Again another bad compromise would be to put one near the 40/640 junction on the east side but local charging and lesser value to the I-75 route makes this an even worse choice than on the west side of town.

I-75 north has dozens of exits that would be good for a supercharger, I guess I'd do Lake City exit on I-75. Keep it north of powell/halls which is overcrowded and would see much local charging. Lake city is right at the junction for oak ridge/clinton travelers coming up 25W.


So if I had the choice to cover the east TN area with 3 superchargers I'd do

I-40 exit 273 (campbell station rd)
I-40 exit 398 (strawberry plains pike) or exit 417 (dandridge / hwy 92)
I-75 exit 128/129 (Lake City)

of course you could split that out if you want more chargers and do

I-40 near crossville (between Knoxville and Nashville)
I-75 Athens (between Knoxville and Chattanooga)
I-40 exit 398 (strawberry plains pike) or exit 417 (dandridge / hwy 92)
I-75 exit 128/129 (Lake City)

with 4 superchargers you cover all the major routes out of Knoxville leaving only the south route to the smokeys (US 441) stuck on L2 only.


Given all that if I had to limit it to 2 superchargers I'd just do

I-40 exit 273 (campbell station rd)
I-75 exit 128/129 (Lake City)

as I feel the west, south, and north routes will get more traffic than the east and I guess the tourists going to Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg would just have to L2 charge.

I can't imagine this area with only one supercharger in the eastern third of the state.
 
It was great timing - I was just looking two days ago at the Jackson, MS SpC dot showing on the "2015" map - when news came of a Jackson owner finally giving MS the #50 state status.

But I had been wondering: that particular (tentative, I understand) SpC would appear to be the single most isolated SpC of the network - barely connected to the others, as it would seem to be reachable only via Gulfport. Have any of you Southeasterners been contemplating - and submitting to Tesla's SpC crew - ideas for an efficient Southeast grid?

I have written to Tesla SpC Team: I think headed East and Northeast from DFW are both ripe for additional SpC locations.
Looking further East, Jacksonville SpC would be hard pressed to connect to points further East on I-20.
So there is a need for at least three more SpC locations.
No, there may not initially be a huge demand for Superchargers in MS or AL, but they are part of the pathway connecting Texas to Florida and Atlanta/ North and South Carolina.

Chicken and Egg.
Build the Infrastructure and the demand will be there....
 
My fingers are crossed. As of today, comparing the "Coming Soon" map to the 2014 map reveals that there are 9 SpC coming soon out west and 5 to the east. I don't know how many teams are working. Once those are done, we all start lookig to the next map.

I hope the Eastern teams have connected Texas to Florida as a high priority.

The kids and I are looking forward to some extended road trips. Hoping for this summer.

Andy
 
I live in San Diego but grew up in NC and MD, and travel back to MD from time to time, even occasionally a cross-country drive using I-40 mainly. And that route gets me to Knoxville and then after that is the split with I-81 up through Bristol, TN into Virginia. Then it's either I-66 into the DC area, or keep going until I-70 in Frederick, MD.

I wrote to Tesla a while back urging them to add superchargers along this route. Seems to me at a bare minimum, 2 superchargers in VA along I-81, one maybe in Blacksburg, and one up north near MD or at the I-66 cutoff. I sure hope they do it.