For All You Tesla Haters - Enjoy!

[VindictivePantz]

As enjoyable as this somewhat is, a few of the articles I read showed a clear lack of understanding around cold weather, pre-conditioning, etc.

One person has parked at O'Hare and came back and found he had no charge. I'm assuming he did not charge to an ample amount prior to the trip, failed to look at the weather, and got stuck as a result.

I just made a road trip to/from Detroit, got caught in a lake effect snowstorm along the interstate that added 1.5 hours to the trip - but did not take the trip in my MME.

I took our ICE vehicle. I looked at the weather, especially the temperatures, and determined it was not worth the risk. Even if there was better charging infrastructure, an EV trip takes planning and even some contingency planning when the cold is involved.

Sponsored

 

[Mirak]

I just made a road trip to/from Detroit, got caught in a lake effect snowstorm along the interstate that added 1.5 hours to the trip - but did not take the trip in my MME.

I took our ICE vehicle. I looked at the weather, especially the temperatures, and determined it was not worth the risk. Even if there was better charging infrastructure, an EV trip takes planning and even some contingency planning when the cold is involved.

You’re right, of course, but “EVs are great as long as you’ve got an ICE backup and do some contingency planning for winter” is not a great endorsement for mass-adoption. That’s why current battery tech doesn’t cut it.

 

[Jimrpa]

Something for all you Tesla haters to enjoy! ?

I’m not a Tesla/elon fanboi, but I don’t “enjoy” this. Here are people who are stranded in extreme weather conditions through no fault of their own. I’m giving the big T the benefit of the doubt and assuming they didn’t deliberately design their chargers to fail in extreme weather, then not bother to fix them when they did.
I feel bad for the people stranded.

 

[Jimrpa]

Mohegan Sun in CT is the only authorized location where you can purchase & take delivery of a Tesla. I was at the Casino with time on my hands so I did a test drive of a Model Y. My conclusion:
1) the vehicle was comfortable and ran smoothly. Fit and finish was fine.
2) for a test drive the controls were confusing as you’d expect since it’s different then MME.
3) I’m used to using the screen in front of a steering wheel. The Y has no screen in line of site.
4) screen contains most of the settings as 2 buttons with adjusting wheels are only things on the steering wheel.
5) I test drove in inclement weather.

Lastly, The Tesla sales force does a really good job of follow-up. I was called for my opinion and was sent a link to their build site. Tesla knew I owned the MME and still let me do the test drive.

Casinos sell cars now? ?

 

[nvabill]

I’m not a Tesla/elon fanboi, but I don’t “enjoy” this. Here are people who are stranded in extreme weather conditions through no fault of their own. I’m giving the big T the benefit of the doubt and assuming they didn’t deliberately design their chargers to fail in extreme weather, then not bother to fix them when they did.
I feel bad for the people stranded.

I do also and my post was partially tongue in cheek due to so much Tesla hate on this forum.

 

[TheSteelRider]

I actually see this completely differently. This is a clear failure of the brandification (a new word!) of charging. If these model T's could just "go across the street" and charge at "Brand E"'s chargers (without adapter shenanigans), this would not have been a story.

But, as it is now, we still have Chademo (though admittedly few), CCS, and Tesla/NACS. The standardization of NACs and the elimination of the other two cannot come fast enough!

 

[Mirak]

I actually see this completely differently. This is a clear failure of the brandification (a new word!) of charging. If these model T's could just "go across the street" and charge at "Brand E"'s chargers (without adapter shenanigans), this would not have been a story.

But, as it is now, we still have Chademo (though admittedly few), CCS, and Tesla/NACS. The standardization of NACs and the elimination of the other two cannot come fast enough!

I’m not sure if you actually believe this or are just trying to make a more general point about how we need to get to a universal charging standard, but… it still would have been a total clusterf**k this deep freeze weekend even if the CCS chargers had been available to them.

DCFC is inadequate for even current adoption levels.

 

[TheSteelRider]

I’m not sure if you actually believe this or are just trying to make a more general point about how we need to get to a universal charging standard, but… it still would have been a total clusterf**k this deep freeze weekend even if the CCS chargers had been available to them.

DCFC is inadequate for even current adoption levels.

If a Shell gas station is down because of some issue with their pumps, tanks or billing systems, then hopefully the Kwik Trip across the street is still up because they have different pumps, tanks, and billing systems. In fact, throughout my ICE driving life, this is a routine site.

The same is true for electrical infrastructure. Different manufacturers, different sites (protected differently from the elements), and all using the same equipment-to-vehicle standard interconnections (like gas nozzles in today's ICE world) would have very likely not resulted in this.

The Teslas stuck there were stuck there because there was no where else to go, seems obvious to me.

If "Brand T" infrastructure is down, maybe "Brand E" is not, or vice-versa. You and I agree that we need more and better!

 

[Mirak]

You and I agree that we need more and better!

We agree on this. But everything else you said is theory, not reality. ? Making a few scattered and unreliable CCS chargers available to those Teslas would not have avoided the cluster. It just would have spread it out a bit.

 

[Eric_C_Boston]

There is another network in the area with Tesla Fast Charging, EVgo. They only have three locations with 2x100kW, 1x50kW, and 2x100kW. They were also busy and there was a note at one of them that Teslas were just left in the charging spots at 5:30 AM not plugged in and no drivers. It appears a small fleet of Tesla Ubers just park their cars overnight there and charge up in the morning.

ICE vehicles can also have problems in this cold of weather. Battery heaters and block heaters are very useful.

 

[leehinde]

Casinos sell cars now? ?

Connecticut runs one of those car-dealer protection rackets. So, Tesla can't put a dealership up there. Tesla have situated on Native owned land to get around it.

Edit:
(turn the playback speed up.)

 

[Teslaeata]

Wait, wut? Tesla'sFord's navigation sends people to broken chargers? ?

The golden rule?

Never allow a motor manufacturer tell you where to go charge!

Charge providers’ own App is the place to go for real-time data on site location, power rating and availability, obvs??‍

 

[TheSteelRider]

The golden rule?

Never allow a motor manufacturer tell you where to go charge!

Charge providers’ own App is the place to go for real-time data on site location, power rating and availability, obvs??‍

But, what if the motor manufacturer is also the charge and app provider? Gotta love the vertical integration when the proverbial brown excrement hits the rotating air moving appliance.

 

[Teslaeata]

But, what if the motor manufacturer is also the charge and app provider? Gotta love the vertical integration when the proverbial brown excrement hits the rotating air moving appliance.

Not found one that provides both the App & charge point yet, they seem to tie in somehow with charge providers but don’t actually provide build & provide charge point stations, maybe different in US!

 

[TheSteelRider]

Not found one that provides both the App & charge point yet, they seem to tie in somehow with charge providers but don’t actually provide build & provide charge point stations, maybe different in US!

Yes, Tesla manufactures and sells all Tesla vehicles currently available for sale, (Models S,3,X,Y, and CT), they manufacture and install all Tesla supercharges currently in operation (Versions 1,2,3,4), they write the application software that operates and integrates the two, and they own and maintain all of the backing infrastructure for all of this.

Sponsored