Home and Auto Tesla to blanket the US with supercharging stations in 2 years - Page 2

Deberg_1990 · 05-31-2013, 07:42 PM

http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla...pansion-2013-5

Tesla drivers will be able to drive from Los Angeles to New York using the electric car company's Supercharger network by the end of this year, CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday night at the Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital Conference.

The network, which currently consists of only nine active stations, seven of which are in California, was already set to increase to 100 stations by 2015.

Instead, Tesla is planning "a dramatic acceleration of the Supercharging network," Musk said at the conference. "It'll be tripled. We'll put the map live tomorrow."

As the network expands, software in the Tesla cars automatically updates, so drivers will be routed to nearby Superchargers when necessary.

That expansion will be a tremendous boon for drivers, as the biggest problem for electric vehicles is the lack of cheap, powerful battery technology. That shortcoming keeps ranges limited, charge times long, and prices high.

Musk acknowledged the power of range anxiety in making potential customers wary of battery-powered electric cars, saying, "when people buy a car they're buying a sense of freedom that they can go wherever they want and not feel fettered."

At Superchargers, Tesla owners can charge their car batteries halfway in 30 minutes, for free. If the network really expands at the rate and density Musk promises, it will be a tremendous advantage for his customers.

Map of where supercharging stations will be located:

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger

ThaVirus · 05-31-2013, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teedubya

Elon Musk is a badass that I hope to one day meet.

The founder of PayPal, SpaceX and Tesla Motors.

He is a B.A.D.A.S.S.

Great vid. Great ****ing vid.

teedubya · 05-31-2013, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Great vid. Great ****ing vid.

Check out this one...

from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo.

**bevischief** · 06-01-2013, 03:17 AM

Good luck with that. I have major pipeline about 3 blocks away...

Stewie · 06-01-2013, 04:44 AM

It's amazing to me that Tesla has batteries capable of that range, yet GM can't figure out how to go more than 50 miles on a full charge.

Mr. Laz · 06-01-2013, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dante84

Smartest thing they could do is to partner with a major gas station chain as the foundation is already built and all they would need to do is to outfit the existing stations with chargers.

yep

it will get the oil companies involved and part of the process instead of against it too

stonedstooge · 06-01-2013, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghak99

It appears 30min on a supercharger gets you 200 miles but only 10-15 on regular chargers.

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger

Thanks

PhillyChiefFan · 06-01-2013, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Great vid. Great ****ing vid.

I love technology. Elon Musk is a genius.

EagleRob · 06-01-2013, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

So is Tesla poised to explode onto the market as a major player, or are they poised for a spectacular and highly visible collapse?

And who's the money behind Tesla? How did they get started?

This reminds me of the Iridium satellite constellation. Revolutionary service heavily invested in that would bankrupt the original company and allow a secondary funder to turn a profit by buying the assets at a minimum investment. Iridium had to pay to launch 66 satellites just to reach IOC. They couldn't sell satellite based global phone service to many at $10/min so the Air Force paid something obscene like 7 cents on the dollar and still milks the system a decade later.

EagleRob · 06-01-2013, 07:28 AM

Can you imagine the inconvenience of being third in line for a "pump" on a sunny Saturday?

patteeu · 06-01-2013, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EagleRob

Can you imagine the inconvenience of being third in line for a "pump" on a sunny Saturday?

I can't even imagine the inconvenience of being 1st in line for the "pump". 30 min pitstops to get half a "tank" is not something I'm even remotely interested in.

An electric car for local driving that could be charged over-night could have some appeal, but this network of supercharging stations does nothing for me.

patteeu · 06-01-2013, 08:17 AM

What they need to do instead, at least until they get the charging time down to 5 minutes or so, is have swapable batteries where you pull in and exchange your rundown battery for a fully charged one.

mesmith31 · 06-01-2013, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teedubya

Check out this one...

from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo.

That was pretty damned cool. Batteries that you could throw in your compost bin when you are done....wow. If we can manage to survive long enough as a species there are some pretty amazing things coming down the pike.

SPATCH · 06-01-2013, 08:20 AM

Elon Musk is an American hero.

ClevelandBronco · 06-01-2013, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_spatula

Elon Musk is an American hero.

Cool car. As for the man, the government is subsidizing his every move. I don't fault him for working every angle available, but I'm not going to buy into the hero bullshit.

EDIT: Yet. I'll give him the benefit if a "yet."

scho63 · 06-01-2013, 09:37 AM

I've seen at least 20 Teslas in the last 3-4 months around the Northern VA, Southern MD, DC area. They are beautiful cars.

If they can finally make a battery and charger that gives you 150-200 miles range in 5-7 minutes on the charger, then it's game over for gas.

I would buy one in a heartbeat

05-31-2013, 07:42 PM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $294454	Tesla to blanket the US with supercharging stations in 2 years http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla...pansion-2013-5 Tesla drivers will be able to drive from Los Angeles to New York using the electric car company's Supercharger network by the end of this year, CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday night at the Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital Conference. The network, which currently consists of only nine active stations, seven of which are in California, was already set to increase to 100 stations by 2015. Instead, Tesla is planning "a dramatic acceleration of the Supercharging network," Musk said at the conference. "It'll be tripled. We'll put the map live tomorrow." As the network expands, software in the Tesla cars automatically updates, so drivers will be routed to nearby Superchargers when necessary. That expansion will be a tremendous boon for drivers, as the biggest problem for electric vehicles is the lack of cheap, powerful battery technology. That shortcoming keeps ranges limited, charge times long, and prices high. Musk acknowledged the power of range anxiety in making potential customers wary of battery-powered electric cars, saying, "when people buy a car they're buying a sense of freedom that they can go wherever they want and not feel fettered." At Superchargers, Tesla owners can charge their car batteries halfway in 30 minutes, for free. If the network really expands at the rate and density Musk promises, it will be a tremendous advantage for his customers. Map of where supercharging stations will be located: http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger
Posts: 68,448

06-01-2013, 03:17 AM	#18
bevischief .... Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somewhere Kansas Casino cash: $7749352 VARSITY	Good luck with that. I have major pipeline about 3 blocks away...
Posts: 27,771

06-01-2013, 04:44 AM	#19
Stewie MVP Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: West of the Equator Casino cash: $-1630099	It's amazing to me that Tesla has batteries capable of that range, yet GM can't figure out how to go more than 50 miles on a full charge.
Posts: 13,837

06-01-2013, 07:28 AM	#24
EagleRob Living Vicariously Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Leesburg, VA Casino cash: $10004900	Can you imagine the inconvenience of being third in line for a "pump" on a sunny Saturday? __________________ Enjoy the ride up!
Posts: 372

06-01-2013, 08:17 AM	#26
patteeu The 23rd Pillar Join Date: Sep 2002 Casino cash: $10019237	What they need to do instead, at least until they get the charging time down to 5 minutes or so, is have swapable batteries where you pull in and exchange your rundown battery for a fully charged one. __________________ “Boy, you all want power. God, I hope you never get it.” - Lindsay Graham
Posts: 110,871

06-01-2013, 08:20 AM	#28
SPATCH birth of spatch Join Date: May 2008 Casino cash: $10006207	Elon Musk is an American hero.
Posts: 4,569

06-01-2013, 09:37 AM	#30
scho63 Politically Incorrect Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Casino cash: $-750000	I've seen at least 20 Teslas in the last 3-4 months around the Northern VA, Southern MD, DC area. They are beautiful cars. If they can finally make a battery and charger that gives you 150-200 miles range in 5-7 minutes on the charger, then it's game over for gas. I would buy one in a heartbeat __________________ *"The only difference between sex for free and sex for money is that sex for free costs you a WHOLE LOT more!"* ~Redd Foxx~ ~~2018 2019 2020 20212022 2023~~ 2024 Adopt a Chief - Clark Hunt and Brett Veach "The men who drafted Patrick Mahomes"
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