CNSTC: May 27, 2015

Page 1

July 13, 2011

Vol 13 No 28

May 27, 2015

Putting a charge into St. Charles

Recipe

11

Fruit-filled summer celebrations

Around Town

4

School

8

Business

7

Movie

9

Food Truck Frolic kicks off

Bob Goldwasser (left) and Liz Gattra charge up their Tesla Model S’s at the St. Charles SuperCharger located in the Dierberg’s Plaza on Zumbehl Road.

Photos by Brett Auten

Region’s first Tesla SuperCharger station draws electric car enthusiasts By Brett Auten When you think of the cutting edge of technology, St. Charles County doesn’t always come to mind. But last month the St. Louis Tesla Enthusiasts were out in fullforce for the region’s first Tesla SuperCharger, located in the Dierberg’s Plaza at 2021 Zumbehl Rd in St. Charles. Along with free rides in the Tesla Model S, the members of the St. Louis Tesla Enthusiasts were there to share their experiences owning, living with and traveling with an all-electric car. Superchargers are free connectors that charge Model S in an estimated 30 minutes. There are currently 432 Supercharger stations with 2,361 Superchargers In all, 16 Tesla’s were seen zooming in and out of the plaza throughout the day the St. Charles station opened. “In January, 2013 I bought the fifth Tesla in St. Louis,” Liz Gattra, co-organizer of St. Louis Tesla Enthusiasts said. “Now there are 250-300 roaming around St. Louis.” Tesla first gained widespread attention following their production of the Tesla Roadster, the first fully electric sports car. The company’s second vehicle is the Model S, a fully electric luxury sedan, and its next two vehicles are the Models X and 3. As of March 2015, Tesla Motors has delivered about 70,000 electric cars since 2008. The St. Charles SuperCharger will primarily be used by owners outside the area. The St. Charles location, along with the SuperCharger in Independence and two others planned along Highway 70 in Missouri, will open up Missouri to Tesla owners vacationing in Missouri or traveling across the state. Previously, Tesla drivers needed to detour north to Highway 80 to get through the Midwest. Now they will be able to take a more direct route across Missouri, saving them travel time.

“Highway 70 is one of the nation’s main arteries,” Gattra said. “This location was the last piece in the puzzle. If you’re a Tesla owner you can now literally drive across country for free.” The cost to Tesla owners to charge up is nil. Gattra herself recently drove to California without spending a dime on fuel. The opening of the SuperCharger represents a business opportunity for the city of St. Charles and the state of Missouri. Drivers who stop at the SuperChargers have to wait anywhere from a half an hour to an hour to charge their car. While charging, owners can spend their time checking out local businesses and restaurants near the SuperChargers. On occasion you will see non-Tesla vehicles parked in the SuperCharger slots, which can be an irritant to Tesla owners. “That would be like one of us pulling up to a fuel pump, parking the car, and walking away,” Gattra said. “It doesn’t affect the local drivers so much as it does those who are traveling. It is one of those things that once person starts parking there, everyone soon will.” The cost of a new Tesla can scare off some potential buyers. The starting price for the Model S is around the six-figure mark, but that is about to change. “I know a lot of people who want to look at Certified Pre-Owned Tesla’s,” Gattra said. “In three years, the Model 3 is scheduled to debut and it will be in the $35-40,000 range.” There are more than 40,000 Tesla Model S’s on roads in the United States. Tesla is currently pumping out 1,000-cars-a-week with expectations of this number doubling within the next year and a half, continuing to increase in the coming years. Tesla is also planning future SuperChargers along Highway 44, opening up southwest Missouri to owners wanting to travel to Springfield or Branson or through the state to Oklahoma and beyond. For more information, visit www.stltesla.org and www.teslamotors.com.

Francis Howell choir honored

Tiger Docks donate services

Getting inside ‘Inside Out’

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CNSTC: May 27, 2015 by Community News - Issuu