Tesla Cybertruck

[JST]

You’re back to the chicken and egg problem that Tesla sought to solve by building its own network.

This thanksgiving I found a supercharger within 10 miles of my sister in laws, another within 5 miles of my mother in law, a whole bunch on I-95, and one on either side of the Bay Bridge. Several of those didn’t exist this time last year.

There were definitely demand problems in CA during the heavy travel weekend, and Delaware was busy on Sat afternoon, but overall my charging experience was pretty flawless and added 0 minutes to my (painful, eight hour) drive.

[ZBB]

Originally Posted by clyde

Set to a minimum 50kW (which your descriptions suggest would be painfully slow) the picture in the DC area is pretty bleak.

Why are you so negative on this?

Those are not designed for every day charging. Fast charging infrastructure does not have to mirror the gas station model because most charging is done at home. Home charging change slow also Since moving to OH, I charge at 120V at home and have had zero problems - charging overnight recovers my commute. And I don’t even charge every night - usually every other night with a catch up on weekends.

But I have road tripped literally coast to coast and from as far south as Orlando and as north as Ottawa. Never had an issue finding a charger. Had a couple slower charges that we had to plan for, but nearly all were at 50kW or higher (on both Superchargers and CHAdeMO units).

I know you are hung up on people that can’t charge at home. But most people in a house can charge at home - even at 120V. Apartments and street parking scenarios are difficult. But as JST said, this is a chicken and egg problem. As more EVs sell, more chargers are being built. Workplace charging is increasingly available and I’ve seen chargers at some apartment complexes, with street chargers avail in some cities (they are all over Paris for example.). This is a transition that will take years to decades — solving for 100% of the population will happen, but it will take some time.

[John V]

I wasn't suggesting that Tesla "should" share their Supercharger network. I was suggesting that sharing it might generate revenue sufficient to make it worthwhile, and would help to establish their standard as the standard, and maybe that additional revenue would allow them to accelerate the rollout of the network which would spur more Tesla sales. But perhaps they don't care about that. Or maybe the math doesn't work out. I genuinely don't know.

I do really worry that we're going to have two or three different fast-charging infrastructures in the country, until the market sorts it out.

Meanwhile... https://www.thedrive.com/news/31274/...r-thanksgiving

[clyde]

Originally Posted by ZBB

Why are you so negative on this?

Fast charging infrastructure does not have to mirror the gas station model because most charging is done at home

I know you are hung up on people that can’t charge at home.

I'm confused what you thought sending me to a site that would confirm everything I've been describing for years would accomplish.

I've never said the current Tesla model doesn't work for those it works for. I've never said those it works for shouldn't use it. I've never said you can't from any Point A to any Point B in the US.

Tesla built a model around a tiny portion of consumers and it works for them, no doubt.

[Rob]

Hi everybody. I thought I would swing by and see what you'all thought about the Cybertruck. Pretty much found what I expected. On the charging note, I am surprised this wasn't mentioned:

https://www.popularmechanics.com/car...rging-network/

[rumatt]

Originally Posted by Rob

Pretty much found what I expected.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by Rob

Hi everybody. I thought I would swing by and see what you'all thought about the Cybertruck. Pretty much found what I expected. On the charging note, I am surprised this wasn't mentioned:

https://www.popularmechanics.com/car...rging-network/

This is an amazing title:

"Director of Global Electrification"

[ZBB]

Originally Posted by clyde

I'm confused what you thought sending me to a site that would confirm everything I've been describing for years would accomplish.

I've never said the current Tesla model doesn't work for those it works for. I've never said those it works for shouldn't use it. I've never said you can't from any Point A to any Point B in the US.

Tesla built a model around a tiny portion of consumers and it works for them, no doubt.

I shared the link so you could see that there are other charging stations now and not jus Tesla Superchargers. It’s actually a pretty impressive count. Using the area you looked at, there are 48 CCS sites in the DC-Baltimore area compared to 14 Supercharger sites.

Considering how few non Tesla EVs are out there that have a realistic 200+ mile range, there should be even less of a problem for Bolt and iPace drivers than there is for Tesla drivers to find high speed charging.

I guess I’m just confused why you are looking at this from a glass half empty perspective, when it’s clearly a glass half full — and getting fuller. Yes, there are still challenges. But it’s getting better literally every day. And we are still in the early stages of the Global Electrification (perhaps I should add that to my title here...)

[clyde]

Originally Posted by ZBB

I guess I’m just confused why you are looking at this from a glass half empty perspective, when it’s clearly a glass half full

I honestly think some of you have read way more into what I've said re: charging.

Originally Posted by clyde

My goal is to see the most rapid societal changeover possible from ICE to EV. One of the primary obstacles, in my view, to rapid adoption is consumer charging convenience. My position is that manufacturer specific proprietary charging networks conflict with charging convenience and therefore slow EV adoption.

That is all it is.

And we are still in the early stages of the Global Electrification (perhaps I should add that to my title here...)

That can be done with or without you taking any further action

[Josh (PA)]

some interesting tidbits in this article, seems somewhat pertinent to the charging network discussion