Juice Up Your Roadster for Free!

roadster-charge
For the next few months, Tesla Roadster owners can charge their battery for free along California's Highway 101. Five charging stations between San Francisco and Los Angeles have been installed by SolarCity. Though they are currently only compatible with Roadsters, universal plugs are on their way in the next few months, making Highway 101 an electric highway.

The charging stations are located at Rabobank parking lots in Salinas, Atascadero, Santa Maria and Goleta, and one station is located in a parking garage in San Luis Obispo. The Santa Maria station is powered by a 30 kW solar array, while the rest are grid-powered.

While the stations are only able to service Roadsters, the electricity will be free, but once they're outfitted with universal plugs, the charge will come at a cost. The stations are fast-charging with 240V, 70 amps and a charge-time of three and half hours for the Roadster.

via Inhabitat

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Yo man
written by bleezy, September 25, 2009

sorry about the stomach ulcers..

I liked your bros video, though. Good shit!

It always has to be California
written by Matt, September 25, 2009

California seems to be the first to do everything these days. I think the only downside to this, is the 3 hour wait period.

Doesn't compute
written by Grubble, September 25, 2009

With a charge time of 3.5 hours, each charging outlet can theoretically service only seven customers in a 24 hour period.

Even if the average CCT (Customer Charge Time) was less than 3.5 hours it is not going to be possible to get anywhere the recharge time of a gasoline powered vehicle.

This business model doesn't make sense. The recharge stations would have to supply their customers with hookers before people would be willing to wait 3.5 hours to fill up their tanks.

World's First Ever Global Climate Change Jam
written by Anna Perason, September 25, 2009

A really fun green option for tomorrow sat 26th of September is to attend one of 100 freerunning events worldwide to raise awareness of the need for clean power. Check out www.sandbag.org.uk/onegiantleap We've got everywhere from Hawaii to Inner Mongolia taking part. And if we don't clean up the global power sector we won't succeed in tackling climate change. Did you know that 3,300 power stations make up nearly a quarter of global emissions! Take action. Send us your feedback.

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This is Perfect!
written by Ben Zolno, September 25, 2009

The big knock on electric is that it's hard to take on road trips, but this is a great step into busting that. Yes, it'll take longer to get going again, but if you can make a trip out of it, instead of just a drive, this is swell! smilies/cool.gif

This is old tech already guys!!
written by Ismael57, September 26, 2009

Don't worry about the 3.5 hrs for recharging, this technology will be old news before you know it. eTec Corp will begin installing their electric vehicle charging stations in Arizona this year. Their device charges electric cars in just 15 minutes! Haha! I knew eTec had a breaktrough in their invention, but now I REALLY came to realize it! 3.5 hrs?? WOW! Solar City will have to step down in the electric charging market. No contest there.

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