Tesla plans four Supercharger sites in Ireland
AutoTrade.ie has learned that Tesla will open four Supercharger centres in Ireland before the end of next year (2015). These will located in Belfast, Cork, Dublin and Galway and will enable Tesla Model S owners to travel for free throughout the island of Ireland.
However, the carmaker has no plans for a sales or service dealership in Ireland at this time, but says it can cater for Irish buyers. They can order online but they will need to travel to their nearest service centre for servicing which would at the moment be in the UK.
This may not be as big an inconvenience as you might think because Tesla says that up to 90 per cent of the problems or issues that would arise relating to this car can be sorted remotely through software updates or upgrades. For any other eventuality they guarantee to provide service back-up anywhere in the world. Tesla will come directly to the customer with all the parts needed to carry out any repairs that might arise.
Tesla has two Sales Centre /Gallery located at White City and a Service Centre at West Drayton, both in West London. It also has additional service Centres coming soon in Birmingham and Manchester.
It plans a host of Supercharger centres and other sales and service units to be rolled around England, Scotland and Wales. Tesla says that it will also continue to hold test-drive events around the country. These should also expand in to Ireland next year.
RHD Model S now available in the UK and Ireland
Model S is an uncompromised electric car that delivers 312 miles of NEDC range on a single charge. With a17-inch touchscreen, an outstanding safety record, and an acceleration of 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds, the fully electric Model S breaks the mould.
The car and the company have received numerous accolades, including Autocar magazine’s Sturmey Award for Automotive Excellence and Telegraph Motoring’s Best Eco Car, voted for by readers. Top Gear Magazine called the Model S “the most important car Top Gear (Magazine) has tested.”
Tesla is committed to giving customers the best possible Model S experience no matter where they live. With that in mind, the company has completed a country-specific validation programme to ensure the vehicles are optimised for every market in which they are sold. Right hand drive cars in the UK come with software specific to the country and a configuration that fits the needs of owners who drive on the left hand side of the road. Everything from the wipers to the braces in the front under-bonnet luggage space have been re-fitted for RHD.
The arrival in the UK of the RHD Model S recently was accompanied by the Model S iPhone app, available in the UK iTunes store. The app puts Model S owners in direct communication with their cars anytime, anywhere. Owners can use the app to check on charging progress, start or stop charging, and heat up or cool down Model S before driving (even if it’s in a garage).
In the UK, prices for the Model S start at £50,280 on the road, including the £5,000 government plug-in grant. UK Model S customers can also benefit from other government incentives, including zero road tax, zero showroom tax, and exemption from London Congestion Charge. The car is also eligible for the 100 percent First Year Allowance for company purchase and 0 percent Benefit in Kind, both of which last until April 2015. Irish buyers could pay in excess of €100,000 for the Model S.
Tesla is developing a smaller and more affordable model for launch in 2016. It could sell well below half the Model S price and directly compete with the likes of the new C-Class and 3-Series.
Before that, the Tesla Model X SUV will become available next year. Built on the same platform as the Model S, it will have a battery pack that will be even more advanced with a further improved range than the Model S offers.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk delivered five new cars to customers in London last month at an event to welcome the arrival of right hand drive (RHD) Model S in the UK. The occasion marks the beginning of a planned rapid expansion in the country in the coming two years.
First UK Supercharger
Tesla also energised the first Supercharger location in the UK at the delivery event. The Crystal site at London’s Royal Victoria Docks represents the beginning of a route to Paris and then the rest of Europe, which will enable Model S drivers to travel long distances in the UK and on the continent for free.
“Superchargers enable long distance travel but also, in a city where off street parking is rare and expensive, Model S customers will be able to access a network of Superchargers across London to charge, quickly and for free, at their convenience,” said Elon Musk. “We are looking at locations across the capital to place our first set of inner city Superchargers. Our plan for routes to other cities in the UK is still on target for the end of the year, but we are also announcing this new initiative in order to best serve our London-based customers. We expect customers to be able to travel the length of the UK for free using our Superchargers within the next 18 months”
Musk said that by the end of the year Model S drivers will be able to travel almost anywhere in Europe using Superchargers. The company is energising Superchargers at a rate of close to one per weekday. 156 Supercharger locations are energised worldwide including 44 locations in Europe. Tesla Superchargers have so far offset more than 2.5 million litres of petrol.
The Tesla Supercharger is one of the most powerful charging technologies available in the world today, providing up to 120 kilowatts of direct current to the Model S battery. Superchargers replenish half a charge in as little as 20 minutes and are strategically placed along well-travelled highways to allow Model S owners to drive from station to station with the fewest possible stops. Superchargers are located near amenities like restaurants, cafes, and shopping centres so drivers can stop for a quick meal and have their Model S charged at the same time.
Charge in minutes, for free with Tesla
Tesla Superchargers allow Model S owners to travel for free between cities along well-traveled highways in North America, Europe and Asia. Superchargers provide half a charge in as little as 20 minutes and are strategically placed to allow owners to drive from station to station with minimal stops.
Coverage North America
Today – 103 stations
Complete West and East Coast coverage
Coast-to-coast travel
2014 – 80% of the US population and parts of Canada
2015 – 98% of the US population and parts of Canada
Europe
Today – 44 stations
Asia
Today – 9 stations
The nearest Tesla Supercharger station to Ireland is at their current sole location in London. It is located at: The Crystal – London’s Royal Victoria Docks, Tidal Basin Rd, London, E16 1GB. It has two so-called ‘Charging Stalls. and is open 24 hour-a-day.
Superchargers are located near amenities like roadside diners, cafes, and shopping centers. Road trippers can stop for a quick meal and have their Model S charged when they’re done.
The map above is a representation of the corridors we plan to enable and the timing thereof. Exact locations and timing may vary.
As we go to press with this story, Hans Greimel of Automotive News is reporting from Tokyo that Tesla Motors and the Panasonic Corporation have agreed to cooperate on the construction and operation of the American carmaker’s so-called gigafactory.
The report says that its envisioned a large-scale battery manufacturing plant in the south-west of the United States.
Under the plan, electric vehicle-maker Tesla will provide and manage the land and buildings, while Japanese electronics giant Panasonic will outfit the factory with machinery and manufacture the cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells.