IM Tesla - Hong Kong Supercharger tracking web app

markwj · Jul 2, 2015

An enterprising Hong Kong Tesla owner, has written a neat web app to crowd-source supercharger availability in Hong Kong.

The app can be saved as a home-screen app and is cross platform (as well as being available on desktop browsers). It shows an overview of the 8 supercharging locations in Hong Kong, distance to each, as well as last reported status (how many charge stalls last seen in use).

With a couple of simple taps, contributors can report how many stalls they see empty when they visit superchargers (presumably once when they arrive, and again when they leave). The writer has even managed to arrange automatic update of status for one of the superchargers (as the mall carpark that it is installed in has that status available online).

Tesla Supercharging in Hong Kong is different than most other countries in that (a) it is for those who can't charge at home/work (not for long distance trips), and (b) the superchargers are primarily inside car parks. Imagine your frustration when you pay to get into a car park, drive up to the superchargers, then find all the stalls occupied and a long line of Teslas queued up waiting. This crowd-sourced app attempts to give some visibility to the supercharger status, before you arrive.

If you want to give it a try, it is here: IM Tesla
and you can use invitation code "Nikola" to get access.

gubes · Jul 2, 2015

markwj said:
An enterprising Hong Kong Tesla owner, has written a neat web app to crowd-source supercharger availability in Hong Kong.

The app can be saved as a home-screen app and is cross platform (as well as being available on desktop browsers). It shows an overview of the 8 supercharging locations in Hong Kong, distance to each, as well as last reported status (how many charge stalls last seen in use).

With a couple of simple taps, contributors can report how many stalls they see empty when they visit superchargers (presumably once when they arrive, and again when they leave). The writer has even managed to arrange automatic update of status for one of the superchargers (as the mall carpark that it is installed in has that status available online).

Tesla Supercharging in Hong Kong is different than most other countries in that (a) it is for those who can't charge at home/work (not for long distance trips), and (b) the superchargers are primarily inside car parks. Imagine your frustration when you pay to get into a car park, drive up to the superchargers, then find all the stalls occupied and a long line of Teslas queued up waiting. This crowd-sourced app attempts to give some visibility to the supercharger status, before you arrive.

If you want to give it a try, it is here: IM Tesla
and you can use invitation code "Nikola" to get access.

View attachment 86142 View attachment 86144

Its a good idea but the problem is that it relies on people to report how many are taken. In reality people won't do it.

Actually, Tesla should be able to have all of this data given that all Tesla's are connected to the internet. It would be pretty easy for them to write an app for this.

I think another clever idea would be a HK Supercharge valet service. You leave your keys with a parking attendant and once your car is fully charged, they move it to a free space elsewhere. Sure, Tesla would have to hire a Valet guy, but in the end its probably cheaper for them to do that then to keep adding more superchargers in a given car park. It just frees up capacity for people who need the charge. I think that could work well in places like IFC or Pacific Place if they ever installed superchargers there.

markwj · Jul 2, 2015

Tesla wouldn't even have to write an app - just provide an api to the data and the enthusiasts will run with it.

It seems simple (given that they have the data), and obvious, so I suspect the problem is other than technical. Perhaps they are worried about the amount of information they would be giving to competitors? Or ammunition against them?

Regarding people not reporting, I am not so certain. If you look at the whatapp/line instant messenger groups they are full of people reporting supercharger status (particularly for the popular locations, and for the unpopular locations those are less busy so less of a problem). Waze is also working well in Hong Kong, and relies on a similar crowdsourcing data model.

3fiftynine · Jul 2, 2015

Supercharger valet service just won't work here. Say an indoor parking is full but there is a SC Tesla ONLY bay empty, do you think building attendant will let a Tesla jump the long queue outside? Most cases you don't even see building attendant at the entrance cars just denied entry whenever it's full. Even if valet service is available parking in HK is so small so packed that there isn't spare/buffer spaces to put a few queued Tesla!

VisibleTesla project allows you to tap into useful data (SOC, location, charging status) that belongs to the owner (MyTesla login) however you can't force owners to download/run the app in the background and allow 3rd party app access.

In the closed FB group there is a pinned post for owners to report SC status, this webapp is a good and correct way forward to enable sharing of information. No doubt if SC goers find this useful they'll all contribute back to help others.

DITB · Jul 3, 2015

gubes said:
Its a good idea but the problem is that it relies on people to report how many are taken. In reality people won't do it.

Actually, Tesla should be able to have all of this data given that all Tesla's are connected to the internet. It would be pretty easy for them to write an app for this.

I think another clever idea would be a HK Supercharge valet service. You leave your keys with a parking attendant and once your car is fully charged, they move it to a free space elsewhere. Sure, Tesla would have to hire a Valet guy, but in the end its probably cheaper for them to do that then to keep adding more superchargers in a given car park. It just frees up capacity for people who need the charge. I think that could work well in places like IFC or Pacific Place if they ever installed superchargers there.

Of course there will be a lot of owners/drivers who don't care. But already now, a lot DO care, myself included. Now, I rarely use superchargers any more, as I can charge at home as well as at work now, but if I did, I would surely use this web "app". Every time, both when arriving and leaving.

Even for those that don't use it, when a user reports "3 spots open" that will - at that time - be exactly that, no matter whether the other cars reported or not. So if enough users use it - it will be quite useful.

Maybe we should suggest the author to make some kind of tracking of those who use it but never report it - a notice of "please report status, or your account will be restricted".

Phil K · Jul 3, 2015

It's a good idea and when we get to a critical mass, the status will be quite accurate.

markwj · Jul 3, 2015

The advantage I see with this systems is that it combines all the other sources of info we have into one framework. Currently you need to be a member of two whatsapp groups, a line group, and two facebook groups, to get the same information. It also does it in a very very lightweight a quick framework. From the home screen, it is literally five seconds and four taps to report the status. Nothing else comes close.

3fiftynine · Jul 3, 2015

DITB said:
Maybe we should suggest the author to make some kind of tracking of those who use it but never report it - a notice of "please report status, or your account will be restricted".

I don't suggest that non-contributing users be "punished" or labelled. The mobile/media industries have been spoiling users, everything is assumed free, this is how a critical mass can be accumulated when it's really useful you'll have contributing users. Of course users can't complain that data is not accurate if they have never contributed.

This is a big step forward from report at FB's pinned post.

If we find the opportunity (charged.hk mission?) we should encourage parking owner to provide display at parking entrance for SC availability or provide that info at their corporate website (like Lee Garden) such that data can be fetched automatically by the webapp.

lx3h · Jul 3, 2015

3fiftynine said:
I don't suggest that non-contributing users be "punished" or labelled. The mobile/media industries have been spoiling users, everything is assumed free, this is how a critical mass can be accumulated when it's really useful you'll have contributing users. Of course users can't complain that data is not accurate if they have never contributed.

This is a big step forward from report at FB's pinned post.

If we find the opportunity (charged.hk mission?) we should encourage parking owner to provide display at parking entrance for SC availability or provide that info at their corporate website (like Lee Garden) such that data can be fetched automatically by the webapp.

Agree with 3fiftynine, the thing that makes crowdsourcing works in the case of Wikipedia is that people enjoy using it, not because they will be "punished" for not using. Incentives drive things forward, not punishment. They give something and then they get something in return. There will always be pure getters but you just can't banned them from using it. The key is how to maintain their interest in contributing.

DITB · Jul 3, 2015

It's not about punishing, just about reminding people that it works both ways. There WILL be those too lazy to report, just enjoying others to inform them.

Just like we "remind" people who park in EV spaces without charging that it's not acceptable.

danielwai · Jul 3, 2015

THUMBS UP!!! it's really useful information. There're times I found all SC are full in Hopewell right after I get in and need to queue up.

DITB · Jul 11, 2015

You can refer others to this web app by using

tinyurl . com /imtesla

or

tinyurl . com /iamtesla

Omit the spaces, I just put them there so it won't hide as the target web page.

icemankaka · Aug 20, 2015

just tried out the app: pretty easy to use.

hope most people who uses the widget wouldnt mind the 10 seconds spent updating... then again i shouldnt really be using cuz my dad charges up at work daily

MingMan · Aug 20, 2015

markwj said:
An enterprising Hong Kong Tesla owner, has written a neat web app to crowd-source supercharger availability in Hong Kong.

Very good and informative. Thanks for the effort.

Does it work in iPhones?

lx3h · Aug 21, 2015

MingMan said:
Very good and informative. Thanks for the effort.

Does it work in iPhones?

it is not an app, it is a website, so works on any brand of smartphone

icemankaka · Aug 23, 2015

Charged up at hopewell today...
but waited 30 mins and saw 3 teslas (that was already fully charged when i arrived) didnt move during my 1.5 hrs stay there.
and at the same time 3 ppl was sorta waiting for a space.

just wondering if we can sort of make a way to nudge (at least our forum/charged.hk members) out of those chargers when they are full.

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IM Tesla - Hong Kong Supercharger tracking web app

markwj

Asia Pacific

gubes

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markwj

Asia Pacific

3fiftynine

Member

DITB

Charged.hk co-founder

Phil K

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markwj

Asia Pacific

3fiftynine

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lx3h

Charged.hk's Director of Education

DITB

Charged.hk co-founder

danielwai

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DITB

Charged.hk co-founder

icemankaka

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MingMan

Member

lx3h

Charged.hk's Director of Education

icemankaka

Member

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