Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register
This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Tucson - The "old Pueblo" is getting a Supercharger. It appears pretty clear that the 2016 Tesla Supercharger Map has a location within or near Tucson. That's great news in that it opens up a lot of southern Arizona, but kinda odd that it's only 70 miles to the SpC in Casa Grande and just 46 miles to what appears to be a SpC location planned in or near Benson, AZ.

Tucson.jpg
Tucson-San.jpeg
Tucson-ad.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I wonder if it's going to go into the new outlet mall at the Twin Peaks interchange? ( that is only about 50 miles from the Casa Grande supercharger, but you never know.)

That might be a great place...

On another slightly different topic, I sure wish they would have put I-10 across west Texas in the 2015 plans. I have reasons to drive from Tucson to Houston and going up and over though Albuquerque isn't high on my wish list, it will add another 500+ miles to the trip. Oh well there is alway 2016...
 
I suspect it may be to open up I-19 for travelers. No particularly good reason comes to mind to put one in Tubac or Nogales or Green Valley, and one in Tucson will allow a round trip to those areas very comfortably, even in a 60, and perhaps in a Model 3.

It also allows people coming through Arizona via I-8 to not have to detour to Casa Grande while coming from Gila Bend and heading east. Casa Grande is a small detour, to be sure, but Benson would be a stretch from Gila Bend in a 60/M3.
 
This is extremely welcome news. I'll be in Tucson as much as SoCal this summer/fall. Bring on those 100
days straight > 100 degrees (F), baybee!

Plenty of great site opportunities in the Tucson area:

1. Any Hilton or Marriott property (a la Buellton, Redondo Beach...)
2. Admittedly, near I-10/I-19 makes sense.
3. Since I-10 bisects or bounds so much of Tucson, pick an exit.

In time, 2 SCs (NW, I-10/I-19, Vail/Benson area and/or toward Sorry Vista) would pave the way east into the Texas Wasteland quite nicely.

i appreciate very much what Bob from Bookmans has done for the EV community for a couple of decades now; that said, we need an SC in Tucson ASAP.
 
I sent a PM last week to huzz1970 suggesting the new outlet mall currently under construction at Tangerine and I/10 would make a good location, while somewhat close to the Casa Grande supercharger (50 miles) it is a good location based upon what Tesla has been doing in some other locales. I would be hopeful, that any SC location they pick in Tucson is very near I-10 It only makes sense to have it along the interstate and not located somewhere way off the beaten path. If they did contact Bob from Bookman's, perhaps another location would be near his store at Ina and Thornydale, approximately 1 mile east of I-10- the shopping center has plenty of parking and if they located the stalls in the right place, very little chance of being ICE'd. There are quite a few places to eat in the immediate area including Taco Bell, Subway, Eggees(local sub sandwich shop) and right across the street, Carls Jr, McDonalds, and 5 Guys. As well as Culver's near by too. There are also a few sit down restaurants in the area, but no chains ones. For other pursuits, there is a Michaels Craft store, an Ace hardware and near by a Target, a Walmart Neighborhood Market(smaller food oriented Walmart) and a Fry's grocery store (owned by Kroger for those back east) So this location could work, but again, it's pretty close to Casa Grande at about 55 miles or so. At any rate, I hope Tucson does get a supercharger, that would open up all of SE AZ to Tesla owners.
 
Assuming a Supercharger goes in near Benson to serve SE Arizona and roadx trips to NM and beyond, I think a Tucson Supercharger would best serve the road-trip owners if it were off of I-19 in either Sahuarita (84 miles from Casa Grande) or Green Valley (91 miles from Casa Grande). This opens up all of the southern Arizona region to travelers (Green Valley, Tubac, Nogales, etc.) There isn't much in Sahuarita at night, so Green Valley might be the better choice.

It is less useful for apartment dwellers in Tucson, of course. Putting it off of I-19 at Valencia or perhaps Ajo might work, though those areas can be a little sketchy at night. For the same reason, I wouldn't want one any further south than Grant Road on I-10 in the northwest end of town, and that location is less useful for road trips, though it still opens up I-19 to the border and back (even for 60s if they don't wander far from the interstate).

If the intent is mostly for Tucson apartment dwellers, than putting it off of I-10 and closer to, say, Oracle and Ina, might better serve the locals.
 
See my post above, I had suggested two places near I-10 both would work well for opening SE AZ up- the first on at the new Outlet mall at Twin Peaks is probably a little far north for most folks, but meets nicely with Tesla's pattern of putting them in Outlet malls (i.e. Cabezon) Otherwise, Bookmans on Ina is only 1 mile from I-10 and Bob is a major EV supporter. It's a pretty big parking lot. I just hope they don't put it at his store on Speedway near Country Club- Just too far off the Freeway to be convenient for the folks passing through town. As for the suggestions above, Ina and Oracle, is pretty far off the path (Several miles from I-10) and no good parking lots that wouldn't be Ice'd. Green Valley and Sahuarita close up pretty early at night. and I agree anywhere south of Grant along I-10 or I-19 can be sketchy. Anyway, I certainly hope they do put one here in Tucson, that would be really nice for the I-10 to Texas and the SE AZ routes.. I really want a path along I-10 from coast to coast. that would be truly a cross continent route. Maybe in 2016 as their Supercharger page predicts.
 
I appreciate the thoughts above. There is certainly an opportunity here for Tesla management to provide clarity and direction. In my mind, opening up the southern route to the east coast is of sufficiently high priority and the next step is Tucson (or Benson, or Vail, so let's just say Greater Tucson). Today, the recommended way from LA to NYC is through South freakin' Dakota, and that's just ridiculous. I know - "soon". Until then, I appreciate Bob from Bookman's a little more every time I plan a trip back to the Old Pueblo.
 
I'd be inclined to locate the Supercharger on the south or southeast side of town. Near the I-10/I-19 interchange (Tucson Spectrum along I-19 or Ajo at I-10) or a bit further east along I-10 (TTT Truck stop at Craycroft). I live on the SE side of Tucson and I've been using about 100 rated miles getting home from Casa Grande running fast and heating the cabin. A north side charger IMO would be too close to Casa Grande.
 
I have not heard anything. We do have a handful of destination charges, a 80A charger, and a couple of CHAdeMO chargers. Many of us are waiting for the build out of I-10 eastward.
 
Any news on the Tuscon supercharger? It's still on the map for 2016..
By chance I googled tonight with the same question, ending back up in this thread.

Really hoping to see something soon. I'm really curious where they end up placing it. They'll probably want it closest to where I-10 meets with I-19, for future Mexico customers and their chargers. Perhaps a bit north of that since it looks like Benson will be getting a charger too.

I feel like Cortaro would be the best place, tons of restaurants and directly off the highway, but is it too close to Casa Grande and too far from I-10/19 split?
 
We might see something in Tucson or very close to Tucson within the next month or two. Tesla is pushing real hard to get superchargers in before 2017. They got four under construction/running in Nebraska just in the last month to help meet their goal.

West Texas just got two more permits on supercharge.info. I bet they'll keep moving up that route, with New Mexico next and then finally Tucson to connect it all together.

Screen Shot 2016-12-04 at 1.52.36 PM.png