Western Canada Superchargers

[arg]

Anyone know why that is?

The CHAdeMO connector is limited to 125A. That means that even if the station is theoretically capable of putting out 50kW, it can only do so when the battery is at 400V or more (400*125=50,000). At 400V, the Model S battery is already 99% full and can't take that current anyhow. When the battery is empty (~330V), the charger has plenty of power but is limited by that 125A connector to 330*125=41kW. So the 'sweet spot' is when the battery voltage is as high as possible but still able to use the whole 125A from the charger - which works out around 75% full.

Those numbers assume a CHAdeMO unit that implements the full 125A possible - some designs use a 108A limit instead, so lower power but the same effect where the current stays pegged at the max available and the power gradually increases as the battery voltage goes up (looks like the one in the video above is one of these Nissan/DBT units with the 108A limit).

 

[Spurkey]

Spurkey
You can borrow mine. I lent it out twice but haven't used it myself yet
Really only need it for a road trip

Awesome, thank you! The trip will either be in May or in July depending how

The CHAdeMO connector is limited to 125A. That means that even if the station is theoretically capable of putting out 50kW, it can only do so when the battery is at 400V or more

So, the output voltage is driven by the battery voltage? Is that the same for Supercharging? Electricity is weird...

 

[arg]

So, the output voltage is driven by the battery voltage? Is that the same for Supercharging? Electricity is weird..

Supercharging and CHAdeMO are essentially the same process, apart from the details of the plug and the fact that Superchargers have more power available.

In either case, the output of the charger connects direct to the battery, so the voltage is by definition the same (apart from a tiny bit lost in the cable).

When the charger attempts to raise the voltage, current flows into the battery and it charges. While it is charging, the voltage will be slightly above the 'resting' voltage of the battery, roughly in proportion to the current flowing. As the state of charge increases, that 'resting' voltage also increases.

There's lots of different ways to design the circuit in the charger that converts AC to DC,. Superchargers (and the car's internal charger for AC charging) are designed such that the limiting factor on their performance is on the input side - they can take up to a certain AC input current, and if the AC voltage remains the same then the maximum power remains the same; they can deliver that power as any combination of a higher current at lower voltatge or a higher voltage but lower current. CHAdeMO chargers are limited by the rating of the plug, and this seems to have caused their designers to work the other way round - the electronics are designed to always be able to deliver that maximum output current, and the input current will go up or down to match the required amount of power.

 

[doubeld]

Not sure if this is news or not, but I was speaking with the lady at the Calgary store (Forget her name - she seems quite Tesla knowledgeable) on Monday and she mentioned that the Calgary Service Center will house the Calgary SuperCharger as well. It's still slated for 2016, but I guess with the market situation, maybe Tesla is just waiting for the economy to completely tank before signing a lease somewhere. In that case, could we presume it would be somewhere around the Stoney Trail Ring Road? I'm wondering if building by the new Costco location might be convenient for passing motorists to enable long distance travel. It would be great for those going from Red Deer/Edmonton down onto Lethbridge/USA, and also great for those coming in from Medicine Hat/SK/further east. Right off of a major systems interchange would be super nice.
Google Maps
I worry that putting it anywhere in the middle of the city or along the Deerfoot will be too enticing for those who just want a quick fill before/after their commute or cause excessive local (ab)use.

Any guess as to how many stalls they'll put in?

 

[Lon12]

That looks like a great location, and I had no idea we were getting another Costco. Thanks for the info.

 

[wildm011]

When I had asked an employee at the Tesla store earlier, the answer I got was 'in the north, up by the airport'. I like the location of your google map pin better, as it would be more accessible to both North/South traffic and East/West traffic.

 

[doubeld]

There's some good places that would work up North here. Would be super convenient for me
It makes sense if you look at population distribution though. You have a lot of Tesla owners up in Edmonton/Red Deer coming down south to either Calgary or to Banff/Canmore. Having something that isn't too far off of Stoney/Deerfoot would be convenient.
Airport industrial park has lots of land coming online, lots of hotels, but not much for restaurants/shopping yet. Unless they're going to be a new tenant in Deerfoot City Calgary’s largest retail transformation | Deerfoot City | A Shape Centre but I'm not sure if that make sense for a service center.

 

[1.21 Jiggawatts]

Any updates on new superchargers in western canada?

I'm looking forward to see the 2017 tesla supercharger map. Anything close to saskatchewan would be pretty radical.

 

[green1]

Any updates on new superchargers in western canada?

I'm looking forward to see the 2017 tesla supercharger map. Anything close to saskatchewan would be pretty radical.

Don't hold your breath, I bet the 2017 supercharger map will continue past trends. Lots of new superchargers in other countries with fewer teslas, and shorter distances than Canada, very few in Canada.

 

[1.21 Jiggawatts]

Don't hold your breath, I bet the 2017 supercharger map will continue past trends. Lots of new superchargers in other countries with fewer teslas, and shorter distances than Canada, very few in Canada.

Well judging from the gaps they are planning to fill from the 2016 map i'm thinking they will continue to do that. Tesla in Calgary was saying they were considering stretching the network to Alaska somehow. If they are doing that, they will do something to make Sask a bit more feasible.

Doubling the network is a lot, about 3500 more? Why not connect Calgary to Winnipeg. Also, according to Tesla Calgary, there is a decent amount of model X reservations in Saskatoon and I know a lot of Model 3 reservation holders. Its not like the cars aren't being bought and driven here in Sask.

 

[green1]

Well judging from the gaps they are planning to fill from the 2016 map i'm thinking they will continue to do that. Tesla in Calgary was saying they were considering stretching the network to Alaska somehow. If they are doing that, they will do something to make Sask a bit more feasible.

Doubling the network is a lot, about 3500 more? Why not connect Calgary to Winnipeg. Also, according to Tesla Calgary, there is a decent amount of model X reservations in Saskatoon and I know a lot of Model 3 reservation holders. Its not like the cars aren't being bought and driven here in Sask.

You're missing the point. Saskatchewan is not on the way to Alaska, it won't get chargers.
Tesla's investment in Canadian Superchargers is much lower per vehicle sold than any other country that Tesla sells cars in. I'd love for that to change, but so far Canada is not a priority for Tesla, and every time they update the maps they just reinforce this.

 

[Porfiry]

You're missing the point. Saskatchewan is not on the way to Alaska, it won't get chargers.

If you are starting from the eastern half of North America, the fastest route to Alaska actually does go right through Saskatchewan.

 

[green1]

If you are starting from the eastern half of North America, the fastest route to Alaska actually does go right through Saskatchewan.

Elon doesn't live on the east coast.

 

[S'toon]

Once again I'm obligated to point out Musk's mother is from Regina, and his cousins farm just outside of Swift Current. This makes Tesla's ignoring of the province even more puzzling.

 

[green1]

Maybe he visits them by Falcon 9 instead of by Model S?

I'm not asking for much, I just want Tesla to build as many superchargers per number of vehicles sold as they do in their other markets. But Tesla has not been keen on doing so. Several countries with fewer Teslas, and shorter distances to travel, have more chargers than we do.

 

[gpetti]

Many people have echoed that sentiment, but that was at a time (not so long ago) when there were none. Now, the march has started and we have had a dramatic increase in the last year or two. I understand that the number per car is probably still less than other countries but my point is that they can't rebalance it overnight. We were told at our recent club meeting that future plans will include chargers going East. To date, the number of cars east of Alberta has been minuscule so if they were prioritizing that is likely a factor - though it obviously doesn't take account of people in the west who want to drive East. It also might be a self fulfilling prophecy, as some people might be scared off buying given the lack of connection to the SC network, but either way, they will be building East in the next phase. Anyone's guess how long that will take, it was a very slow process for the ones that exist currently (Many people elsewhere in this thread guessing as to what the delays were and to what extent utility companies were part of the delay) so lots more opportunity to bemoan the lack of Canadian SCs until we are connected to the East.

 

[green1]

I'm not asking to re-balance overnight, but so far the future planned supercharger locations do not imply any effort at all to improve the situation. At best, if they build every supercharger in their planned map, and do it in the time frame they claim (both are pretty big assumptions) We may not fall any further behind the rest of the world, but we certainly won't be doing any catching up.

 

[Canuck]

I'm not asking for much, I just want Tesla to build as many superchargers per number of vehicles sold as they do in their other markets.

Given our federal government's subsidies to big oil, in which we are a "world leader" at $34 billion, and lack of federal subsidies to EV's, I'd say we have far more than our fair share of Tesla Superchargers.

I'm very appreciative that a private (publicly traded) American company has put so many Superchargers in our Country. It's akin to growing an organic garden on Monsanto owned land.

 

[green1]

Those factors explain why we're only 4-6% of all Tesla vehicles, but not why we only have 2-3% of all superchargers.

 

[Discoducky]

Planning a trip from Seattle to Banff. Any gotchas or things to see, look for? I've got a 2013 60kWh with a hitch bike rack and will be mountain biking, hiking in Banff for a week.