4 ms·

I'm not so sure this is actually the case. If you look at the supercharger map: http://www.teslamotors.com/findus#/bounds/49.38,-66.94,25.82,-124.39,d?search=s

by rpcope1 11y ago

I'm not so sure this is actually the case. If you look at the supercharger map: http://www.teslamotors.com/findus#/bounds/49.38,-66.94,25.82,-124.39,d?search=supercharger&name=us http://www.teslamotors.com/findus#/bounds/49.38,-66.94,25.82... you'll notice major corridors like I-64 from Lexington to St. Louis have no intermediate chargers, and from St. Louis to Kansas City on I-70 is similarly devoid. It would look like if you don't live on the north east coast or out in California, you'd be in real trouble. The chargers probably don't have to have the same ubiquity as gas stations, but having 400-500 miles of _interstate_ (god forbid you need to go somewhere like Ithaca, NY where no interstates run) without any way to refuel the vehicle still would certainly make me nervous driving it cross country.

mikeash 11y ago
From the St. Louis supercharger to the one in Kansas City is 213 miles. No problem in an 85kWh Tesla. Lexington to St. Louis is not doable on superchargers, and you'd either have to go by way of Indianapolis, or find a friendly CHAdeMO charger in between. Ithaca would depend on where you're coming from and where you're going. It's well within range of the supercharger at Paramus, NY or Syracuse. Coming from Pittsburg you'd have to detour through Buffalo.
- rpcope1 11y ago
  I guess it just goes to show that Tesla (or whoever ends up betting the farm on electric cars) still have a lot of way to go before we see something approaching critical mass. All of the chargers are placed OK assuming you don't leave the interstate, but I think we're going to need to see some serious infrastructure upgrades before electric cars become totally viable alternatives (for some of us that often go cross country, anyways).
  - mikeash 11y ago
    I think you're right. It will never be a 100% thing (nothing is, gas cars included) but it needs to get a bit farther before "everyone" can use them. However, the infrastructure is not that tough to build out. At the start of 2014 there were 50 superchargers in North American. Today there are 217. That's one company, funding them with the profits from selling cars. Give it another couple of years and the network should be nearly ubiquitous.

by rpcope1 11y ago

mikeash 11y ago

From the St. Louis supercharger to the one in Kansas City is 213 miles. No problem in an 85kWh Tesla. Lexington to St. Louis is not doable on superchargers, and you'd either have to go by way of Indianapolis, or find a friendly CHAdeMO charger in between. Ithaca would depend on where you're coming from and where you're going. It's well within range of the supercharger at Paramus, NY or Syracuse. Coming from Pittsburg you'd have to detour through Buffalo.

rpcope1 11y ago
I guess it just goes to show that Tesla (or whoever ends up betting the farm on electric cars) still have a lot of way to go before we see something approaching critical mass. All of the chargers are placed OK assuming you don't leave the interstate, but I think we're going to need to see some serious infrastructure upgrades before electric cars become totally viable alternatives (for some of us that often go cross country, anyways).
- mikeash 11y ago
  I think you're right. It will never be a 100% thing (nothing is, gas cars included) but it needs to get a bit farther before "everyone" can use them. However, the infrastructure is not that tough to build out. At the start of 2014 there were 50 superchargers in North American. Today there are 217. That's one company, funding them with the profits from selling cars. Give it another couple of years and the network should be nearly ubiquitous.