SuperCharger Use Map

[jimmy_d]

I can see a lot more downside, especially for Tesla, than upside in making highly detailed info available. The number of situations where detailed data will actually be useful to individual drivers is really limited and there are risks. Supercharger stall turnover is generally quite rapid and very hard to predict even statically and the charging network itself is constantly growing, the number of users is constantly growing, and the biggest waits tend to happen in 'perfect storm' situations like holiday weekend afternoons and after-xmas-sale at the nearby outlet mall which are almost all one-off events. If there's a long wait, or just someone who is in a hurry and getting frustrated they might use detailed data to single out some perceived offender and take out their anger on them. That would be bad for everyone. Who wants charger rage to be added to the reasons to not buy an electric car?

I had though previously that publishing the time-of-day and day-of-week average usage for individual locations might allow people to plan trips to avoid hitting a charger at a really busy time, but I'm not sure that even approximate info like that would result in very much improvement for people. Hell everyone knows when the freeways are busy here in LA, and yet everyone still packs them in during rush hour. I would guess that Tesla looks at congestion in SC locations very, very closely and plans their upgrades to limit worst case wait times. And beyond that there's probably not any low hanging fruit that makes everyone's life easier without some nasty side effects.

 

[cpa]

Yes, there will always be "one-off" events--even at the most remote locations. Last May, I was heading west on Interstate 80 across Nevada on a Tuesday. Around 11AM I pulled into the Lovelock Supercharger. Lo and behold, three of the four stalls were already in use! I took the last stall, receiving an initial charge rate of about 30kW.

It turns out that there was a caravan of folks from the Bay Area driving to the Tesla Rally in Custer SD. While we were full, a fifth Tesla arrived and had to wait a short while -- he was late leaving Reno that morning.

I was fortunate in that I was headed west, while the caravan was headed east. Otherwise we would have been jockeying for prime position all the way through Winnemucca, Elko, West Wendover with maybe an express agreement among us as to who would charge at Tooele and who would charge at Salt Lake.

 

[Carl Leermakers]

In Chambéry, on the road to the French Alps, there used to be just two stalls, not surprisingly congested every Saturday afternoon in February as all the Dutch and Belgian Tesla-skiers would arrive at practically the same time and it's the last SuC before everyone's holiday destination. So Tesla just last week opened another 4 stalls in Chambéry, but at a different (and better) location, a few kilometers further. So how do we know, on a typical winter Saturday, which of both SuCs is less congested? Drive back and forth ? It would make sense (at least in this case) to have some info on real-time SuC use - would only be worth what it is worth, but still worth something.

 

[Green46]

I use Google maps to know where the traffic is and therefore what route to take every single day, a few times each day. It has saved me countless hours of traffic. Its simply so incredibly useful.

 

[GoTslaGo]

Noticed the latest update had a note about updating supercharger icons. Something about showing which superchargers were off-line. I think Tesla is listening... or more appropriately reading.

 

[apacheguy]

Do we have any evidence to suggest that process is automated? In other words, if a SpC suddenly lost all power does it propagate to all of our Nav screens within a few minutes or does it require someone at Tesla to change a setting on their screens?

 

[austinEV]

Do we have any evidence to suggest that process is automated? In other words, if a SpC suddenly lost all power does it propagate to all of our Nav screens within a few minutes or does it require someone at Tesla to change a setting on their screens?

Considering that this was an apparent response to the Norway incident, I bet it is manual. There were complaints that the Nav would happily route you to the burned out station.

 

[mspohr]

I can see a lot more downside, especially for Tesla, than upside in making highly detailed info available. The number of situations where detailed data will actually be useful to individual drivers is really limited and there are risks. Supercharger stall turnover is generally quite rapid and very hard to predict even statically and the charging network itself is constantly growing, the number of users is constantly growing, and the biggest waits tend to happen in 'perfect storm' situations like holiday weekend afternoons and after-xmas-sale at the nearby outlet mall which are almost all one-off events. If there's a long wait, or just someone who is in a hurry and getting frustrated they might use detailed data to single out some perceived offender and take out their anger on them. That would be bad for everyone. Who wants charger rage to be added to the reasons to not buy an electric car?

I had though previously that publishing the time-of-day and day-of-week average usage for individual locations might allow people to plan trips to avoid hitting a charger at a really busy time, but I'm not sure that even approximate info like that would result in very much improvement for people. Hell everyone knows when the freeways are busy here in LA, and yet everyone still packs them in during rush hour. I would guess that Tesla looks at congestion in SC locations very, very closely and plans their upgrades to limit worst case wait times. And beyond that there's probably not any low hanging fruit that makes everyone's life easier without some nasty side effects.

I was thinking that it might be useful to be able to tap on a SuperCharger site and see the number of occupied places (also, SOC info would be good). That way, you could decide to stop or go to the next one. We have a situation here in California where the Roseville Galleria SC can get very busy with shoppers but the Rocklin SC is very close and usually has free spots. My wife prefers to stop at the Galleria (Nordstroms, etc.) but I can save big bucks (and a detour) by going to Rocklin (only Target for shopping).

 

[Gremlin]

Yeah this is a no brainer I like your suggestion. The only time I waited for a supercharger with the Telsa Roadtrip at Ocean City, MD last year. Nice talking to the owners while waiting to charge. This year in Williamsburg going to be an issue as last supercharger is in Richmond. ChADeMO adapter will be in the car : p. Model 3 comes out going to get much worst := (

 

[jvonbokel]

I have to agree this would be an awesome feature and will be helpful to avoid full superchargers.

I would use this information in the opposite way most of the time. If one location is empty, but another has 5 people charging, I'm heading to the one with 5 people to talk Tesla with while my car charges.

 

[brianman]

I would use this information in the opposite way most of the time. If one location is empty, but another has 5 people charging, I'm heading to the one with 5 people to talk Tesla with while my car charges.

Depends on your priorities at the moment. If you have a meeting, you want the fastest wall-time route. If you are on vacation, maybe the opposite.

Having the information is the key.

 

[CuriousG]

I was thinking that it might be useful to be able to tap on a SuperCharger site and see the number of occupied places (also, SOC info would be good). That way, you could decide to stop or go to the next one. We have a situation here in California where the Roseville Galleria SC can get very busy with shoppers but the Rocklin SC is very close and usually has free spots. My wife prefers to stop at the Galleria (Nordstroms, etc.) but I can save big bucks (and a detour) by going to Rocklin (only Target for shopping).

Have you considered going to Studio Movie Grill in Rocklin? I debated doing that last month when Deadpool opened and just using the HPWC at the service center. I was headed to Grass Valley and surprised to find out the SuperCharger was empty when I arrived about 9am on a Sunday. Well there was one other car there but they didn't charge and attempted to go inside the service center and when it was locked they left.

 

[mspohr]

Have you considered going to Studio Movie Grill in Rocklin? I debated doing that last month when Deadpool opened and just using the HPWC at the service center. I was headed to Grass Valley and surprised to find out the SuperCharger was empty when I arrived about 9am on a Sunday. Well there was one other car there but they didn't charge and attempted to go inside the service center and when it was locked they left.

We've looked at the Movie Grill and it seems like a good option. However we usually just want to get charged and get home (Lake Tahoe).

 

[GBleck]

The security downside is not thieves. The problem with publishing the information is assault. A fair number of sc stations are in areas with no one around at night. Knowing only one stall is occupied could lead to bad press.

 

[Kbra]

The security downside is not thieves. The problem with publishing the information is assault. A fair number of sc stations are in areas with no one around at night. Knowing only one stall is occupied could lead to bad press.

Then simply only provide a status when occupancy is equal or greater than 50%

 

[GBleck]

You could set the system to show congestion when more then half are full then the percent full above that.

 

[Kbra]

You could set the system to show congestion when more then half are full then the percent full above that.

 

[GBleck]

Ah yes. For some reason I saw 50% charged not occupied. Good solution to the problem. Would be a good indicator of at least 1 stall available that you aren't sharing with someone else.