Tesla Has Opened Its First Supercharger In New York City, But It's Nowhere Near Manhattan

Tesla has opened its first Supercharger station in New York, as it continues to expand the network of stations where its customers can charge their electric cars quickly, for free, and in just half an hour.

Tesla has picked up some market share in New York's wealthier zip codes, according to Edmunds, all of which are in Manhattan.

But the first NYC station is nowhere near those swanky neighborhoods. It's at the intersection of 150th Ave and 147th St in Queens, at a JFK Airport travel plaza.

Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Tesla%20has%20opened%20its%20first%20Supercharger%20station%20in%20New%20York,%20as%20it%20continues%20to%20expand%20the%20network%20of%20stations%20where%20its%20customers%20can%20charge%20their%20electric%20cars%20quickly%20and%20for%20free.

%20

Tesla%20has%20picked%20up%20some%20market%20share%20in%20New%20York's%20wealthier%20zip%20codes,%20according%20to%20Edmunds,%20all%20of%20which%20are%20in%20Manhattan.

%20

But%20the%20first%20NYC%20station%20is%20nowhere%20near%20those%20swanky%20neighborhoods.%20It's%20at%20the%20intersection%20of%20150th%20Ave%20and%20147th%20St%20in%20Queens,%20at%20a%20JFK%20Airport%20travel%20plaza.

%20

Under%20Mayor%20Michael%20Bloomberg,%20the%20City%20has%20expanded%20the%20number%20of%20parking%20spaces%20where%20drivers%20can%20charge%20electric%20cars.%20So%20it's%20not%20as%20if%20Model%20S%20owners%20need%20to%20drive%20to%20JFK%20to%20recharge%20the%20battery.

%20

A%20Tesla%20spokesperson%20told%20us%20the%20company's%20strategy%20"is%20to%20place%20[Superchargers]%20between%20major%20cities%20and%20tourist%20destinations%20to%20enable%20long%20distance%20travel.%20So%20for%20the%20most%20part,%20you%20will%20not%20see%20them%20in%20city%20centers%20like%20Manhattan%20because%20they%20are%20not%20something%20typically%20needed%20for%20daily%20commuting."

%20

The%20JFK%20location%20is%20a%20bit%20unusual,%20he%20added,%20because%20it%20can%20also%20be%20used%20"for%20commercial%20fleet%20use%20enabling%20high-end%20car%20services%20with%20Model%20S%20to%20quickly%20charge%20and%20transport%20travelers%20to%20and%20from%20JFK."

%20

Not%20counting%20the%20JFK%20station,%20the%20nearest%20Supercharger%20to%20the%20city%20is%20in%20Darien,%20Connecticut,%20an%20hour's%20drive%20from%20Manhattan.

%20

The%20electric%20car%20maker%20is%20aggressively%20expanding%20its%20network%20of%20Supercharger%20stations,%20which%20can%20provide%20a%20full%20charger%20in%20about%20half%20an%20hour.%20The%20least%20expensive%20version%20of%20the%20Model%20S%20has%20a%20range%20of%20230%20miles.

%20

Right%20now,%20there%20are%2048%20Superchargers%20in%20the%20U.S.,%20nearly%20half%20of%20them%20on%20the%20West%20Coast.%20Tesla%20promises%20that%20by%20the%20end%20of%20this%20winter,%20there%20will%20be%20enough%20to%20make%20a%20coast-to-coast%20road%20trip%20in%20a%20Model%20S%20possible.%20CEO%20Elon%20Musk%20has%20pledged%20to%20make%20the%20drive%20with%20his%20five%20young%20sons%20sometime%20soon.

%20

Here's%20a%20map%20show%20where%20the%20new%20Supercharger%20is%20in%20relation%20to%20the%20rest%20of%20New%20York.%20Click%20to%20enlarge:

%20

" target="_blank">City has expanded the number of parking spaces where drivers can charge electric cars. So it's not as if Model S owners living in Manhattan need to drive to JFK to recharge the battery. Superchargers are meant to make long trips possible, not so much for day to day charging. The least expensive version of the Model S has a range of 230 miles.

A Tesla spokesperson told us the company's strategy "is to place [Superchargers] between major cities and tourist destinations to enable long distance travel. So for the most part, you will not see them in city centers like Manhattan because they are not something typically needed for daily commuting."

The JFK location is a bit unusual, he added, because it can also be used "for commercial fleet use enabling high-end car services with Model S to quickly charge and transport travelers to and from JFK."

Not counting the JFK station, the nearest Supercharger to the city is in Darien, Connecticut, an hour's drive from Manhattan.

The electric car maker is aggressively expanding its network of Supercharger stations. Right now, there are 48 in the U.S., nearly half of them on the West Coast. Tesla promises that by the end of this winter, there will be enough to make a coast-to-coast road trip in a Model S possible. CEO Elon Musk has pledged to make the drive with his five young sons sometime soon.

Here's a map show where the new Supercharger is in relation to the rest of New York. Click to enlarge: