Electric Vehicles: Tesla specific talk, current firmware, purchasing, modifications
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Yeah, there was horribly bad timing that was their own doing.
Most of the car industry took so long to commit to electric - and this was after a long cycle of knocking around hydrogen (looking at you Toyota... ) as the replacement for fossil fuels - then, factor in the the delay from the actual design and manufacturing process, and amplify that by covid, supply chain issues, they're painfully behind.
Of course, another factor in the delay is auto manufacturers being in cahoots with the fossil fuel companies, but even they're starting to pivot towards more sustainable solutions.
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Well, since right now the only Teslas or any other EVs that are seen in my condo community and immediate neighborhood are those which belong to visitors since we have no charging stations here, I daresay it will be rather a while before anyone who lives here will be buying and driving an EV. In the past we've had a couple of hybrids -- Priuses and some other brand I don't recall now -- but at this point in time it is not feasible for any resident of this particular community to go all-electric with a vehicle.
I do suspect that this is a situation which will need to be resolved all around the US before EVs are really readily accepted, can truly become popular, as there are many areas in which there are multifamily dwellings (condominium, co-op and rental apartment units) within communities in which it would be either very difficult or downright impossible for EV charging stations to be set up for residents' use. If people cannot conveniently and quickly charge their EV at home they are less likely to be inclined to purchase one in the first place.
I do suspect that this is a situation which will need to be resolved all around the US before EVs are really readily accepted, can truly become popular, as there are many areas in which there are multifamily dwellings (condominium, co-op and rental apartment units) within communities in which it would be either very difficult or downright impossible for EV charging stations to be set up for residents' use. If people cannot conveniently and quickly charge their EV at home they are less likely to be inclined to purchase one in the first place.
Apple fanboy
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We have the same issues here. Lots of people have Hines with no parking or communal parking for a block of flats. I’d not be buying an EV without my own driveway and garage. But then I’d not buy a house without a garage and a drive either.
@Clix Pix
That's definitely an issue, and where the totally different "fueling" model of an EV loses a huge benefit (i.e., home charging). @BigMcGuire is doing OK with a 120/15a for charging, but some people can't even get to a regular outlet (without some kind of janky extension cord setup)
I think as EV adoption grows, NOT having some kind of charging solution at apartments/condos/hotels is going to be a major competitive deficit.
To start, apartments could simply provide a 240/30a-40a outlet at the curbside, and let people BYOC
Maybe some conduits for passing cables under the sidewalk (if present). The point being they don't even need to make the more expensive investment in charging equipment, just provide convenient, higher output electrical connectivity.
That's definitely an issue, and where the totally different "fueling" model of an EV loses a huge benefit (i.e., home charging). @BigMcGuire is doing OK with a 120/15a for charging, but some people can't even get to a regular outlet (without some kind of janky extension cord setup)
I think as EV adoption grows, NOT having some kind of charging solution at apartments/condos/hotels is going to be a major competitive deficit.
To start, apartments could simply provide a 240/30a-40a outlet at the curbside, and let people BYOC
Maybe some conduits for passing cables under the sidewalk (if present). The point being they don't even need to make the more expensive investment in charging equipment, just provide convenient, higher output electrical connectivity.
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There are different configurations in multifamily dwellings and parking spaces. Some will have room for setting up charging stations, and of course new builds can plan for them and install them right from the get-go. My particular "garden-style" condo community was built in 1984 and there isn't a lot of space for installing charging stations, unless they were to rip out a major part of the common grounds and its surrounding trees, which provide a nice visual barrier from the streets adjacent to the community. I think that would be problematic and that most owners and residents here would object. We had problems enough some years ago finding appropriate places to install dumpsters when the community decided to change over from curbside pickup.
Our parking lot is rather narrow and actually pretty small. Since these condo units are fairly small and the largest capacity is the two-bedroom/two-bath unit with 1045 SF I think the builders at the time were expecting residents to have one or two cars at the most, and small vehicles at that. I guess they didn't look far enough into the future and anticipate that many who live here these days would drive large SUVs, Jeeps and even pickup trucks and that more than one household has three cars. People drive through the area and parking is either in front of each building (reserved for owners/residents) or across from the building (owners/residents' second or third cars, guest parking and parking for maintenance/repair/service vehicles). Two sections of the community form small courts and those provide even more limited parking. There is another condominium community across the road from mine and they have a similar type of layout.
That is an interesting idea about putting outlets at the curbside, which actually might be feasible here. We have lighting in the parking lot, lights on some of the small "islands" that jut out into the parking lot, so presumably there has to be electrical connectivity somewhere there. Hotels or large high-rise apartment buildings with many units usually have large parking lots so I would think it would be easier for them to select a few spaces and install charging stations there.
Our parking lot is rather narrow and actually pretty small. Since these condo units are fairly small and the largest capacity is the two-bedroom/two-bath unit with 1045 SF I think the builders at the time were expecting residents to have one or two cars at the most, and small vehicles at that. I guess they didn't look far enough into the future and anticipate that many who live here these days would drive large SUVs, Jeeps and even pickup trucks and that more than one household has three cars. People drive through the area and parking is either in front of each building (reserved for owners/residents) or across from the building (owners/residents' second or third cars, guest parking and parking for maintenance/repair/service vehicles). Two sections of the community form small courts and those provide even more limited parking. There is another condominium community across the road from mine and they have a similar type of layout.
That is an interesting idea about putting outlets at the curbside, which actually might be feasible here. We have lighting in the parking lot, lights on some of the small "islands" that jut out into the parking lot, so presumably there has to be electrical connectivity somewhere there. Hotels or large high-rise apartment buildings with many units usually have large parking lots so I would think it would be easier for them to select a few spaces and install charging stations there.
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Oh yeah, there are some existing designs that are just not conducive to any kind of updates, expansion, etc., especially anything involving power.
I thought the same thing about those islands you described, there's usually few scattered around parking lots, and many/most have a light pole, so power.
I thought the same thing about those islands you described, there's usually few scattered around parking lots, and many/most have a light pole, so power.
Yeah, I'm lucky because our townhouses/apartments/whatever you want to call them has garages. Of course, none of our garages have anything above a single 15amp outlet... because our washer/dryers are on the second floor. Most of the people in this complex own their unit so those with Teslas just pay the $2300+ to install an EV charger. The electrician said each unit had a 125amp? main circuit so there was plenty of power to add an EV charger.
I see Teslas parked on the sides of streets at some places - I guess they just rely on the supercharger that's about a 15 min drive away or charge at work.
Would definitely love a bit more of a charging support.
Most of the ChargePoint+ stations near where I live have horrendous parking rates ($3/hr) after 11am. Nice if you can find them open during the weekends in the mornings (25mi/hr) but usually they just have 2 charging stations available in a 15 mile radius. Downtown LA has a lot of EV charging options especially at the Natural History Museum / universities but again parking costs $.
When I do want to use a Tesla Supercharging station - I'll make sure to wait till after 7pm - usually rates are cheaper and they're nowhere near as full. I like the slower Superchargers (75 kw) because they usually have a lot more charging spaces and tend to be far more deserted.
I see Teslas parked on the sides of streets at some places - I guess they just rely on the supercharger that's about a 15 min drive away or charge at work.
Would definitely love a bit more of a charging support.
Most of the ChargePoint+ stations near where I live have horrendous parking rates ($3/hr) after 11am. Nice if you can find them open during the weekends in the mornings (25mi/hr) but usually they just have 2 charging stations available in a 15 mile radius. Downtown LA has a lot of EV charging options especially at the Natural History Museum / universities but again parking costs $.
When I do want to use a Tesla Supercharging station - I'll make sure to wait till after 7pm - usually rates are cheaper and they're nowhere near as full. I like the slower Superchargers (75 kw) because they usually have a lot more charging spaces and tend to be far more deserted.
This is just in the last 30 days. We had a trip (big red line in the middle) - Other = university 20 amp outlet charging and blue = at home (normal 15amp outlet charging). I didn't HAVE to supercharge the other red lines but we were out and about and it was available so we did.
(Last few days didn't have to drive much - so barely any charging!).
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Here you go then for all you Tesla fanboys and girls.
Cool video.
Cool video.
That was some amazing drone footage, lol. Great video.
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quagmire
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Eric
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New for everyone or something beta? Is there anyway to update through the app or does it need to be in the car itself?
The update availability is a bit of a mystery, it's definitely a "for everyone" sort of thing, but when you get it is unknown - there's also a toggle in the Software page in the car, where you can select Standard vs. Advanced for updates, the latter I believe pushes the update a bit sooner. It seems like pretty similar vehicles seem to be on roughly the same schedules, and you can also use something like the TeslaFi firmware tracker:
Or the NOTA tracker:
Tesla Software Updates & Release Notes - Latest Tesla Updates
The latest Tesla software update releases and their release notes for Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y
www.notateslaapp.com
FYI, those numbers aren't from all the cars, it's reporting based on 3rd services/apps, etc., so it's a small sample size.
Generally, you should see the update as both a notification in the app (or even a 3rd party app like above), __and__ in the vehicle itself (under the Software option). I had one case where it wasn't on the app yet, but showed up as an update in the car (probably just a slight timing different between the two services).
The update stats in TeslaScope are pretty cool, these are for my actual car (the 6 days on the black bar indicates when TeslaScope had the first report from a user about getting this update):
Eric
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I’m using the Belkin magsafe thing that clips into the air vent. Works great. But I don’t have a fancy model 3 like you. I don’t even have a center console thing on the floor. Not much else to clip to in those old model S’s.
