Tesla Supercharger network

[hans]

superchargers are DC to DC transfer.. don't think the on-board chargers make a difference here. Elon also tweeted that the US will get the 135kw chargers.. I'm thinking bigger battery b/c the difference between 120 and 135 for a 85kw battery doesn't seem like a huge benefit in real life

Superchargers are not DC to DC. They are DC to the car, but they are AC from the grid. The big boxes at the supercharger locations are a stack of 12 rectifiers (chargers) similar to the single or dual chargers being bypassed in the car.

North American chargers are 10kW but European chargers are 11kW. The extra capacity per rectifier is what I am speculating makes the German supercharger 135kW instead of 120kW.

Source: How Tesla Superchargers Outsmart the Electric Car Industry | PluginCars.com

"Tesla does everything in-house. From making the Superchargers using Tesla-designed modular 10-kW chargers—exactly the same units found in Tesla automobiles"

 

[ChadS]

Here's an illustration I used in another thread that shows the rectifiers in a Supercharger as hans describes. Change the numbers slightly if European rectifiers have higher capacity. Gaswalla is right that the rectifiers in the car don't matter for Supercharging; but given that they are the same rectifiers used in Superchargers, their capacity could matter indirectly:

A text description I used with this diagram before:

An easy way to visualize the AC/DC charging differences is to consider how Tesla handles charging for their Model S sedan. They make large quantities of boxes they call "chargers" that include a 10kW (240V * 40A = 9.6kW) rectifier to convert AC to DC. Every car they build gets one for AC charging, and so can handle all the power than any outlet provides. Plugged in to the right outlet, this can charge a car at up to 24 mile of range per hour.


If you buy "twin chargers", you get two boxes in the car and can now handle high-power hard-wired charging equipment as well. This can charge the car at up to 50 miles of range per hour.


Tesla's DC Superchargers have a stack of 12 boxes installed at the station so the car doesn't have to do the conversion. This can charge the car at up to 300 miles of range per hour.


The boxes that do the power conversion are essentially the same; AC versus DC is largely a matter of whether the boxes are in the car or in the charging station, and how many of them there are.

 

[Tyl]

I am going to clean the superchargers while I am supercharging! I'd like others to join me in keeping the superchargers clean and new looking. Just a simple wipe down of the white pedestal and black cable etc. with a damp cloth. Pick up any trash etc. in the immediate area. Heck, I'm getting free energy for my Tesla Model S, keeping them clean is the least I can do. Yeah, It might take a few minutes, but I kinda consider these Tesla Superchargers our own. Pride in ownership, of the car, of the Tesla Supercharging Network! What do you say?

 

[JKL]

Agreed. I will do that too.

I am going to clean the superchargers while I am supercharging! I'd like others to join me in keeping the superchargers clean and new looking. Just a simple wipe down of the white pedestal and black cable etc. with a damp cloth. Pick up any trash etc. in the immediate area. Heck, I'm getting free energy for my Tesla Model S, keeping them clean is the least I can do. Yeah, It might take a few minutes, but I kinda consider these Tesla Superchargers our own. Pride in ownership, of the car, of the Tesla Supercharging Network! What do you say?

 

[ModelX]

I am in-once I get my Model X.

 

[dflye]

This sounds like a great do-it-yourself pay-it-forward concept! However, I think the ability / willingness will vary wildly depending upon the location of each SC. For example, having used a few of the SC in the NE that are in travel plazas, there is at least one trash receptacle either right at the SC location or only a few seconds walk away. But the SC that just opened up in Burlington NC? It is on the edge of a mall parking lot, nearest building is a few hundred feet away and I don't recall seeing any trash receptacles on the closest side of the nearest one (as the nearest is the backside of a movie theater)

 

[sublimaze1]

I am going to clean the superchargers while I am supercharging! I'd like others to join me in keeping the superchargers clean and new looking. Just a simple wipe down of the white pedestal and black cable etc. with a damp cloth. Pick up any trash etc. in the immediate area. Heck, I'm getting free energy for my Tesla Model S, keeping them clean is the least I can do. Yeah, It might take a few minutes, but I kinda consider these Tesla Superchargers our own. Pride in ownership, of the car, of the Tesla Supercharging Network! What do you say?

An extra meaning to "clean" energy. A bottle of all-purpose glass cleaner goes in BadA** (as soon as my wife gets it back from the body shoppe).

 

[Sgt Barone]

The official list and map on the Tesla site has been updated! It now reads 30 stations. The only one missing on the west coast is Eugene/Springfield, OR. Looking good!

 

[EnergyMax]

The official list and map on the Tesla site has been updated! It now reads 30 stations. The only one missing on the west coast is Eugene/Springfield, OR. Looking good!

Indeed. San Diego to Seattle is now Supercharged, and also North Carolina to New York. A momentous day.

 

[Enadler]

Actually North Carolina to Boston.

Indeed. San Diego to Seattle is now Supercharged, and also North Carolina to New York. A momentous day.

 

[dirkhh]

Indeed. San Diego to Seattle is now Supercharged, and also North Carolina to New York. A momentous day.

Honestly, I expected an announcement from Tesla. Maybe they are waiting for Eugene? But still. This is a HUGE deal. The map on the website looks so much more impressive now...

 

[Benz]

There was going to be a press release today about the Supercharger stations in Germany (Elon Musk said so when he was in Munchen this week). But I cannot find anything about it. Have the forgotten it?

 

[dmckinstry]

Honestly, I expected an announcement from Tesla. Maybe they are waiting for Eugene? But still. This is a HUGE deal. The map on the website looks so much more impressive now...

They may be waiting for the I-95 corridor. Do we know how many unexpected stations are almost ready along that route? We were caught off guard on Grants Pass, Corning and Mt. Shasta until just a few weeks ago. The one known about is the last to be completed/opened officially.

 

[DouglasR]

I asked this in another thread, but any update on Vacaville? While not absolutely necessary, Vacaville is pretty important if you want to get from points north to SF with a reasonably charged up battery.

 

[jcstp]

Twitter / 0EmissionCar: @0EmissionCar #EuroSupercharger ...

 

[demetri]

Tesla tweet Twitter / TeslaMotors: Can you guess where our next ...
guess where this site is? My guess is northeast. What do you guys think?

 

[Sgt Barone]

Tesla tweet Twitter / TeslaMotors: Can you guess where our next ...
guess where this site is? My guess is northeast. What do you guys think?

It's Eugene, OR. It's maybe a day away from being activated.

 

[cinergi]

Given the lack of leaves on the trees, fairly northern (further north than Mass.) ... not sure what the leaves are doing west of New England but..

- - - Updated - - -

It's Eugene, OR. It's maybe a day away from being activated.

Mmm. Indeed. map

 

[djp]

Tesla tweet Twitter / TeslaMotors: Can you guess where our next ...
guess where this site is? My guess is northeast. What do you guys think?

The maple leaves look very Canadian. :smile:

 

[Kraken]

I asked this in another thread, but any update on Vacaville? While not absolutely necessary, Vacaville is pretty important if you want to get from points north to SF with a reasonably charged up battery.

Have driven by my suspected spot without seeing progress... Last weekend I did see 4 parking spots blocked off at another large strip mall across I80. It goes against my previous speculation, but it would be an equally time-killing friendly location with lots of restaurants. It also has some history for being a primary pitstop between sf and sac with things to do for kids (nut tree plaza for those familiar). Who knows, maybe they will have 4 spots on either side of the highway. It seems some east coast locations have chargers for going each way, and i80 is silly stupid for the way it really can take a long time to find a way to cross.