Tag: Supercharger

Header image Courtesy Bennett on Twitter.

Tesla Superchargers are being built so fast it’s hard to keep track of them all!

Gail Alfar1 Comment

Electric vehicles need to stay charged, and Tesla is making sure they do!  Tesla is working to ensure that cars, the Semi, future Cybertrucks, and even non-Teslas stay charged.  This article celebrates the progress Tesla is making and also looks ahead to where Tesla Supercharging is headed.  

INCREDIBLE PROGRESS IN CALIFORNIA, TEXAS AND WORLDWIDE

In California in 2022 an astonishing 49 Superchargers were built from January to December.  This amounts to an incredible 639 new supercharger stalls! (see Tesla Charging) Most recently another Supercharger station went live on December 8 in Visalia.  

In Texas, 23 new Supercharger stations were added in less than 6 months from June to Dec 8, 2022, adding 284 more V3 Supercharger stalls!

Dallas-Fort Worth and metro areas are offering more options for charging than ever before. New Supercharging stalls have been added in McKinney, Allen, Addison, Ennis, Plano and in Dallas to already existing Superchargers for a total of 14 around the area! But the real surprise is how many more are slated to open in the Dallas-Fort Worth area! 11 more supercharging stations, reaching from Arlington to Plano to Frisco and Denton will be opening in 2023.

Dallas-Fort Worth and the metropolitan area have the largest population (second to Houston) in the state of Texas. 

Newly opened Superchargers in Allen, Texas. Photo Courtesy Vi Gold.
Newly opened Superchargers in Allen, Texas. Photo Courtesy Vi Gold.

My hometown of Austin and its surrounding metropolitan areas all the way from near San Antonio up to Waco have seen tremendous Supercharger growth.  If you travel between San Antonio and Georgetown, Texas, there are 17 supercharger stations available with an 18th planned to open in Q2 2023 in Georgetown.  

Tesla is adding Superchargers all across the USA.  California may welcome one of the largest Supercharger stations ever in Coalinga with 164 stalls, according to Tesla filings cited by Drive Tesla Canada.


This map by Tesla gets updated every day and gives you an idea of the many V3 and V2 fast charging stations in the USA. For the latest locations, see Tesla | Charging.

MAKING SUPERCHARGING A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE

Occasionally, Tesla mobile tire service visits superchargers to offer free air/tire checks. Zach from Twitter encountered this recently.   “Super nice technicians going around asking people if they want their tires filled while they charge.”  

Tesla Mobile Tire Service at Rancho Cucamonga, California Superchargers filling up customers’ tires with air. Photo Courtesy Zach BLKMDL3.
Tesla Mobile Tire Service at Rancho Cucamonga, California Superchargers filling up customers’ tires with air. Photo Courtesy Zach BLKMDL3.

Some Superchargers like Kettleman City, California, serve beverages, provide restrooms and even offer limited merch for sale. My take is that as people need to Supercharge more, Tesla may offer conveniences like this in other locations.

Tesla Coffee Shop. Photo Courtesy Zach BlkModel3.
Tesla Coffee Shop. Photo Courtesy Zach BlkModel3.

FUTURE GROWTH: CHARGING SEMI, CYBERTRUCK, AND NON-TESLAS

Dan Priestley, Sr. manager of Semi truck engineering, spoke at the Tesla Semi delivery event, saying that in 2023 chargers that will support both the Semi and the Cybertruck will be coming to already existing superchargers.  Tesla has built Superchargers at Buc-ee’s in over 26 stores in 7 states and can be expected to expand rapidly. These and more may become places where you’ll see Cybertrucks charging.  If you plan to buy a Cybertruck, this is welcome news!

Tesla plans to grow Superchargers to allow non-Teslas room to charge.  Don’t be surprised if you supercharge alongside a Rivian or a Ford Lightening pickup truck next year!  

Ford 150 Lightning. Photo Courtesy Zach BlkMdl3.
Ford 150 Lightning. Photo Courtesy Zach BlkMdl3.

TESLA ASKS YOU TO VOTE ON SUPERCHARGER LOCATIONS

From California to Maine and all around the world, there are more Superchargers being installed every day.  You can make requests for your area directly to Tesla.  Tesla says, “Vote on Tesla’s next Supercharger site. Every 3-month voting cycle, you can cast multiple votes to help us decide on new Supercharger locations. Cast a total of 5 votes (1 per location) for proposed Supercharger sites.”

CONCLUSION

My take is that it’s so much easier to build Tesla supercharger stations than any other type of charging infrastructure. And much much easier than building petroleum stations!

  • Incredible progress and expansion of superchargers is taking place worldwide, I gave specific examples of this happening in Texas and California.
  • Tesla works to make supercharging a great experience. Tesla mobile tire service offered customers tire air checks at one Supercharging station, and KettlemanCity offers customers a lounge, restrooms, beverages, and even merch for sale!
  • Tesla plans to grow superchargers to allow non-Tesla’s room to charge as well.  Don’t be surprised if you go to charge your Tesla next year and pull up next to a Ford Lightning or a Rivian pick up truck.
  • 2023 will be an incredible year as megachargers will be built to support both the Semi and the Cybertruck.
  • Don’t worry if there’s not a Tesla Supercharger location right near you, just vote on it, at Tesla Supercharger Voting. You can vote for five locations!
Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash
Photo of downtown Austin by Spencer Davis on Unsplash

Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – December 11, 2022. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization. Header image Courtesy Bennett on Twitter. 

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Tesla Summer Travel Trip

Gail Alfar3 Comments

I’m planning a little Telsa summer travel trip to the Texas Hill Country.  I hope the ideas I share will be helpful to you when you plan your trip. So relax, imagine where you might drive to, grab an ice-cold Southern Sweet Tea, and enjoy!

On the road again in a Tesla [credit: K. Paquette]

Maximum Comfort

I love tinted windows and window sunshades.  Tesla Fixed Glass Roof Sunshades work great in the summer to keep the car cool and block bright light when you want to rest or watch a movie during Supercharging. 

When Supercharging, it is also great to get out of the car and check out the area, eat, and use the restrooms.  Most Supercharging locations in rural Texas and elsewhere are near conveniences such as restaurants and bathrooms.  At the Superchargers in Three Rivers, Texas, the Love’s Travel Stop welcomes Tesla owners by placing windshield cleaning buckets and squeegees by the Superchargers and providing clean bathrooms for free. 

In some rare cases, you may need to be prepared to kindly ask to use the bathroom or buy something first.  In one rural town, for example, I was happy to buy a fresh cookie to get the bathroom key.

Tesla Car Camping

If you plan to car camp in your Tesla, many RV parks offer nice bathrooms, showers, a dog park, a swimming pool, and washers & dryers.  Bason RV Resorts in Belton, Texas warmly welcomes Tesla owners, and that wasn’t always the case because most patrons arrive with an RV.  Be sure to have a discussion with the RV Resort you want to stay at first, you may be the first Tesla owner to stay there without an RV.  A little kindness can go a long way, creating a great experience for you and future travelers. 

With advance planning, you can also make a reservation for a spot with an electric hookup at a State Park. (They are often booked a year in advance). 

Tesla explains the “Camp mode” setting,

Camp allows you to power electronics through the USB ports and low voltage outlet in addition to maintaining the cabin temperature.

The touchscreen remains on so you can play music, browse the internet, play games in the arcade, or watch shows in Tesla Theater.

You can also control media and climate settings from a paired phone.

Camp is ideal for remaining inside your vehicle, such as camping or staying with a child.

While active, Sentry Mode and the vehicle alarm system are disabled. 

You can also control Camp from the mobile app, by swiping up from the gray bar on the Climate screen.

Staying Charged

Tesla provides an automatic navigation route that works very well. Tesla Superchargers are plentiful, and you can travel anywhere in the USA. 

“PlugShare” App helps find hotels with destination charging. This app allows people to leave helpful comments, like the condition of the chargers and if they work.

Tesla NEMA 14-50 adapter can allow you to wander far away from the supercharger network without much range anxiety because the adapter turns most RV park spaces into a charger. At about 28 miles of charge an hour, you can sleep and wake up to a full charge. 

Catching sunrise on a cross-country trip [credit: K. Paquette]

Tesla’s Official Website Has Important Summer Driving Tips

Climate Control Features, Accessories, and Tires are all critical factors when traveling in your Tesla in hot weather. Be sure to check out Tesla’s Support page titled “Summer Driving Tips.“

credit: Tesla

My thoughts

I recommend traveling in your Tesla.  I think that travel is one of the best investments a person can make in their lifetime. I think it enriches the soul. You cannot take material things with you when you pass away, but it may be possible to take an enriched soul with you. I love this quote from Mark Twain,

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain

Austin’s Pennybacker Bridge long exposure [credit: Justin Lauria on Unsplash]

You can read about Model Y adventure package ideas here on my blog.

Subscribe to this blog here!

Gail Alfar, with special thanks to Jordan Greene, Benjamin Greene, and Kim Paquette for their valuable insight on travel in Teslas.  [Edited by Sarah Alfar] Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – This blogpost was created utilizing STARLINK satellite services. All Rights Reserved. June 11, 2022

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