back to article Tesla: YES – We'll build a network of free Superchargers in Oz

Tesla has confirmed to The Register that a network of its Supercharger stations is planned for Australia after its Model S arrives, later in 2014. The company has appointed consulting engineer and renewables specialist Evan Beaver to manage the Australian Supercharger program. Tesla would not provide details on the rollout, …

  1. Longrod_von_Hugendong

    Tesla...

    Seems to be the only electric car worth owning...

    Also, given that Australians actually fight over whether Ford or GM is best - Tesla are going to have one hell of a hard sell...

    1. Weapon

      Re: Tesla...

      With Ford and GM pulling out of Australia, one would wonder if their loyalties would remain. I am also sure there will be appreciation that Tesla is not gauging people by raising the price like most other companies are.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Greenies

    Melbourne and Tasmania are the home of the greenies. I'd expect them to build out from there towards Canberra, Sydney and Adelaide. With Queensland not full of particularly forward thinking types, I'd suggest that Brisbane will be later - and so up the east coast.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Greenies

      Surely....Qld would need to get the electric on first?

    2. Adam 1

      Re: Greenies

      Tassie has a small population and a struggling economy. Hydro everywhere which would be a plus. SA has a lot of wind power and is a much bigger market.

      Between Sydney and Melbourne would give pretty close to half the country's population, the main downside is that Victoria has some of the dirtiest power generators around so any Tesla sold down there would be worse than a large SUV for CO2. Plus a large amount of that capacity will be sold off cheap now some smelters have closed down.

      1. Denarius
        Unhappy

        Re: Greenies

        @Adam1 More likely whats left of Vic government will beg them to build there because with Ford, Toyota and GM leaving the collapse of manufacturing will leave lots of excess electricity needing something to use it. For some reason the greens will call this victory.

  3. 68K

    I hope they place them sensibly. Things in Australia can be *very* far apart.

    1. Throatwobbler Mangrove

      Things in Australia can be very far part, but the population is very concentrated in a few small places.

      1. DocJames

        Australia's rural mentality

        Although the population is worshipful of farmers and farming, and they have political power far beyond their economic or per capita weight, Australia is 98% urban. Highest in the world. You just need to get the southern part of the east coast, Brisbane/Perth and that'll do to start.

    2. Weapon

      I am sure they will, things are pretty far apart in some parts of the US and CA.

  4. ukgnome
    Trollface

    What's the betting that my quiet Norfolk broads village gets a supercharge station before fibre to cabinet?

  5. Wombling_Free

    And with our population that can actually afford a Tesla, we can expect to see charging stations in Double Bay, Toorak and every 200m in the ACT - they always get everything, perhaps to make up for actually living in the ACT.

    NOTHING can make up for living in the ACT.

  6. Denarius
    Thumb Down

    Another great useless

    so a whole 270 km after a leisurely lunch every 2 hours. Sounds just the sort of thing for around Civic and not much else. Be cheap parking anyway, so will be banned within 3 km of city. As for going anywhere, still useless. Probably sell well for at least 6 months then

    1. Long Haired Git

      Re: Another great useless

      1. Stop, Revive, Survive says you're stopping every two hours anyway (although I admit to doing a driver swap on the long hauls).

      2. I know a couple of more-than-tyre-kickers who are keen. Vehicle has been seen dockside in Sydney doing, ahem, some "running in". They're excited.

      3. Range from fully charged is ~270 miles, so 420 km. How many times a year is your car more than 420 km from where you are staying overnight? More importantly, how many times will someone who can afford such a car and wants such a car actually drive anywhere further away than that? I drive Syd to Qld cos I'm a SITCOM (http://goo.gl/lNRHk4), but said interested parties are not so encumbered nor willing to drive hours and hours. They fly and rent on arrival.

      3. Sort of trips they actually do:

      4a. Vaucluse to the holiday house at Bateman's Bay: 285km

      4b. Mossman to a BnB at Hunter Valley is 246 km.

      4c. Sydney to Canberra is 287 km.

      4c. Getting to the Snowy Mountains, which is the main big trip this car is likely to do, does require a stop. The snow trip is 490 km, which is 70 km too far, so a stop is required even from a full battery. However, you're not just rich, you're also a greenie, so there's a solution. Demand the recharge station is built at the lookout on the hillside overlooking Lake George. All the green power turbines are located to the east on the hill, so you can sit there and read your stock portfolio movements whilst feeling green and smug. Add a good latte machine and you'd get a good slice of people in their Prius's etc as well stopping to look at the car they wish they'd bought and bathing the reflected green goodness. Would help if you're a bit short on the Canberra/Sydney route and want to splash and dash (zap and zip?)... Other solutions are a station at Fyshwick (shop for toys?) or in Cooma (400 km is damn close to max range, but you could pick up snow chains, get latest snow fashion etc).

  7. Chris 69

    You trust them?

    To build the charging stations AFTER you have parted with your hard earned cash and before your battery reaches it's end of life or gets bricked?

    And what if you're second or third in the queue when you get to the charging station on a busy day?

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