Tesla "Super Charger" 1

[DuncanM]

I came across the following on Google+. Basic principle is a network of solar charging stations. I can think of at least one drawback - any other comments?

Admirable if they can make it work though.

[URL unfurl="true"]https://plus.google.com/u/0/102898672602346817738/posts/5F8MjAEgpu4[/url] (Video in post)

[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger[/url]

Tesla Motors co-founder Elon Musk said there are three reasons people don't view electric cars as practical. Then he proceeded to solve each one.

1) "The range is too short." His new super charger will give high-end Teslas a 150 mile trip on a 30 minute charge. "You could drive for three hours, stop at a rest area and recharge for 30 minutes and be ready to go again." There are six stations already deployed in California. "This is not some figment of imagination that may be happening at some point in the future. We built these up in secret and we are unveiling them for the first time tonight...Within two years we will cover almost the entire United States with Super Chargers. You'll be able to travel practically anywhere. Our long-term goal is (within 4-5 years) to cover the entire United States and the lower part of Canada." Europe and eventually the entire world are planned as well.

2) "You are just burning fuel at a power plant instead of the car." The super chargers will be powered by solar panels from Solar City and "are designed to generate more power than required for the cars so the Super Chargers will actually put more power into the grid than the cars use."

3) "Electric vehicles are trendy but too expensive and not worth it." The Tesla Model S cars equipped with the Super Charging technology will be able to use the stations at no cost. "You'll be able to travel for free, forever on pure sunlight. It's pretty hard to beat that. Free long distance? You're not going to be able to get that with gasoline."

At the start of his talk, a Tesla was plugged in. At the conclusion of his 10 minute presentation it had gained enough charge to drive 50 miles. From sunlight. For free.

Video Description: Elon Musk introduces the Tesla Supercharger and the first part of a national network which will allow the Model S electric car to travel long distances with ultra fast charging. With the Superchargers' power supplied by solar energy, Tesla continues to move automotive transit towards a much more sustainable future.

 

[TomDOT]

Perhaps you can drive 3 hours in the city. On the highway, more like two (both from increased speed, and increased air resistance from that speed.)

Conceptually quite neat. Leverages the current cheap price of PV and likely current .gov incentives for setting up PV.

 

[KiwiMace]

30 minutes is a very fast charge time! until the day you roll up to the 'pump' to find a queue. I think that 150 miles is a very practical range for a town or sports car but I think cross country is a dream with current technology.

 

[mikekilroy]

my chevy equinox converted to 100% electric by amp electric in cincinnati has range of 75 miles; this is enough for 95% of my use.

 

[MikeHalloran]

So, what do you do for the remaining 5 pct of your use?
Tow truck?
Rental?
Second vehicle?
Taxi?
Bus?
...?



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[VEBill]

I have also read some other sources...

The solar panels at the stations simply do not have the panel surface area to directly provide the power to charge at the power levels quoted (90-100kW). So, as was hinted, the panels feed power into the grid and the grid actually powers the charging process.

It can only be described as 'net' solar powered if the duty cycle is kept low. If these facilities become popular, then they cannot be fairly described as solar powered - unless 'solar credits' were purchased or a solar farm installed in the desert somewhere. It's mostly marketing malarkey to install the PV at the station.

Environmentally, these stations require a vast investment of resources for a tiny environmental ROI. The environmental payback period (for the negligible fuel savings for a few cars, just under certain circumstances) probably extends to multiples of infinity years. It's greenwash that probably harms the environment in the short- and mid-term. And in the long run it's a dead end.

Installing charging stations is convenient, and thus a good thing. But the attempted linkage to the solar marketing BS is a distraction.

 

[IRstuff]

Yeah, not even close. My calculation says that station with one car every 2 hours per charger would need close to 5 acres of solar panel, based on a demand of 2200kW*hr/day

I think Elon is smoking some mighty fine weed. While I can't see how the economics of what he proposes will work, he's got enough billions to pay for it for quite a while.

TTFN
faq731-376

 

[mikekilroy]

There is a reason he has lots of money: marketing. You guys missed his true point: SELL MORE OF HIS ELECTRIC CARS. As discussed here, it is not a green thing good for the environment, but it sure is a great marketing scheme for him to sell more cars - a green thing for him! Just think: now you can buy a shiny new Tesla because there will be quick charge stations all over the place!

And the daily usage at 1 car every 2 hours is 'only' 600 kwh total - if all were pushed to the charge station totally empty; 50khw gets one about 150 miles, so each charge would likely be half that, so every 2 hours is more likely 300kwh/day total.....

 

[TomDOT]

IRStuff - Tesla can certainly afford to buy solar credits, or leverage .gov incentives to build offsite solar in ideal locations. El Paso and Hudspeth counties in Texas have excellent solar insolation, and are hooked into the Western US grid, not the Texas grid.

 

[IRstuff]

In order to prevent people from killing themselves or their cars during charging, there needs to be some level of protection, which would include mechanisms and personnel, all of which require funding. That's probably on the order of $400k per station per year.

TTFN
faq731-376

 

[Zogzog]

My boss bought one of those "S" sedans, it is pretty sweet.