Gilroy Super Charger Use!

But wait! there's more!




Used the Gilroy Supercharger for the first time today.

Loaction: very close to Sony store, in the C section of the Outlet Mall. There are 4 chargers facing San Ysidro Ave, Between Sony and Gilroy Inn. Someone described location as behind In N Out burger, but Sony is far closer.

Showed up early afternoon, all 4 chargers were in use. The chargers are just part of a parking lot. There are no good ways to wait, no place to line up, no way to tell if the cars are just starting to charge or closed to finished. As more and more Model S hit the road, logistics will become a bigger problem.

TM knows this and is making all CA Superchargers 6 bays each. I've heard soon but no details other than one guy that said 1-2 months. Folsom supercharger is 4 bays though rarely are all 4 full. The two times we've cahrged at Gilroy, the most cars we saw (other than our own) is 2. So we've been lucky so far.


That is exactly why we have been discussing in other threads that Tesla should consider to implement a reservation system to reserve and notify MS drivers for SuperCharger use.

They don't need a resurvation system. they just need an integrated console map showing what chargers are in use at any given time, just like ChargePoint and Blink do.


Though your suggestion will help somewhat, it does not really resolve the issue when there are more MS drivers using the SuperChargers and there will be several MS waiting in lines for charging, it will create a space problem with a place like Gilroy SuperCharger stations. Thus a Tesla managed reservation system would resolve the order of charging in a civilized manner for all MS drivers.

Details of exact location on my blog.

Sorry don't know why the image tag didn't take. Check out the blog for details on exact location.

Here you go...

I took the delivery of the car on Sunday at 3pm and drove home (San Carlos, CA). Because of issue with too many cars in the garage, the poor tesla had to stay outside and not plugged in for charging. It dropped from 220 Miles range (Sunday at 6pm) to 207 miles (Monday at 10am) - must be cold in the night.

Anyways, I decided to drive to Carmel for lunch (100 miles each way) and use the Gilroy chargers on the way. In the afternoon (12.15pm or so), I pulled into the slot and there was only 1 car there. Within 10 mins, there were 2 more cars and all the slots were full. I disconnected after 47 miles of charging and moved on to Carmel. In the evening when we were returning around 5pm and all the bays were taken and we could not top it off. In any case, I had enough to drive home - luckily, I charged in the morning or else it will be challenging as I was driving at 70+mph most of the way.

They definitely need a lot more bays and more supercharger locations. In addition, they should do the following for the superchargers:

1) Make it mandatory to use the iOS or Android App to initiate the super-charging - this will allow for integration of the messaging to notify people that they need to move the cars. Also, it will link the car information to the charger.

2) Use a Reservation system and integrate the smartphone notification system to that.

3) Ban the users off the supercharger network if they are abusing the system by not removing the charging cord (and moving the car) - this can be automated because they know the car serial number that is plugged in.

I am sure that they can make it a lot better.


Used Gilroy today. Nobody was there when we arrived around 2:30. Then two pulled in within minutes. When we left they were full with one waiting. It was my first SC experience and it was great. Then we drove to Harris Ranch, again nobody there. Tejon and Barstow tomorrow.


HTML, not BB.

amazing - it is free and people are whining. Would you complain if the super market gives away free food and you have to stand in line?

Kleist - dont degenerate the discussion by saying that this is complaining/whining, we are looking for a real solution. I find it funny that you compare this to free food and standing in-line. I definitely did not spend $100K+ to save a few dollars for the SC - I am sure many of us will not mind paying at the SC - these are lifeline for doing long trips. There needs to be a better technical solution till the commercial model for paid supercharging becomes viable.

Whining in anticipation. The math for n/w access just does not predict numerous "collisions" at plausible frequencies, and any that arise are readily eased with a few (very few) more outlets/units. I'm sure TM/Solar have done their homework on this.

@asingla - the internet fell from sky over night? Cell phone coverage was installed while you were sleeping one night? Jet age began with the Wright brothers? We landed on the moon once rockets were invented?
End of Sep 2012 the Super Charger concept was introduced to us. Mid Feb 2013 there are not enough, there is no system, there is not this and there is not that. Get real - let TM do what what they promised to do and so far TM is way ahead of schedule.

@Kleist - you are absolutely right that this will take many years to develop and I commend Tesla from making this a reality.

However, if you read my post carefully, I had mentioned technical improvements that can make the current install base more efficient. Also, they should consider making it a commercial venture in order to hasten the deployment. Your comment about that people are whining is "universal" and does not do justice to the suggestions being made. If we all remain fanboys/girls - the company will not flourish to its potential, there needs to be critical thinking.

Tesla could begin with making the SuperCharger usage info public. Make a web page where you can click on any existing SuperCharger and it will show a page telling you how many bays are in use, how many are free, the SOC and charging rate of the cars charging there and est. time remaining for all of them. Also broken charging bays should be reported there.

This info should also be available at the 17" screen, defaulting to the SuperCharger nearest your GPS position. This way you can see approx. when the first car will be finished charging.

Second step could be a "request to charge" button on the 17" screen. This should send a text message to all owners of cars charging, telling them how much charge their car has and that someone is waiting for the charger. Or it could be done with a notification in the app for iPhone/Android users. To be able to charge, everyone should have a valid cell phone number registered in the system.

A statistics page should be provided for each location, giving usage statistics for each time and day period. You can then see in advance how likely it is that a charging bay is free when you arrive.

@jkirkebo, I think what you have suggested is exactly what Tesla should consider to implement now. With more MS onto the road, this issue, if not handled we'll, could become the Broder Second in those biased media eyes.

All this "Waiting in Line For A Supercharger" anxiety and planning is much ado about almost nothing. You'll see.

Brian H | FEBRUARY 19, 2013

It is nothing if you are not the one waiting in line to get somewhere.

Charging suggestion: The Salinas/101 charger at the Rabo Bank is a j1772, but its high amperage as it used to be a roadster charger. Charged there many times in my roadster. Works great (1 mile a minute) with the Model S, as well. Plus there's a Pollo Loco right there...

Will the standard Tesla supplied J1772 adaptor (and twin chargers) handle 70 amps?

Oooohh yeah, no problem. Cool thing too is that the Leaf can't handle the amps, so you won't see any of them taking up the space.
Sorry Leafers ;-).

Those Rabo Bank Chargers are also located all up and down 101.

@Michael S,

That is great. We are currently refinancing with Rabo and are likely to move all our banking there. The fact that they have partnered with Solar City on putting in charging stations and commercial solar and are trying to be known as the bank promoting sustainability is one more plus for them. I live in central California and there do seem to be Rabobanks with charging stations on some of the routes I am likely to drive, e.g to the coast!


Rabo Bank Charger locations:
SLO (Downtown Garage) free to charge, but not to park.
Santa Maria

Don't think I forgot any...

@Michael S | FEBRUARY 19, 2013: Cool thing too is that the Leaf can't handle the amps, so you won't see any of them taking up the space.

Current isn't pushed down the throat of an EV with the J1772 EVS standard. The EVS informs the car about the maximum current available and the car takes as much as it wants up to the maximum. So sorry, but Leafs can charge at any J1772 EVS. Also, some of the 2013 Leafs can charge at 6.6kW, so they are more likely to show up.

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