Public News

This Public News section of our website is a blog visible to the public and our members. It describes club events and news relevant to Tesla and electric vehicle owners living in or visiting Florida. The blog has a Comments feature that we made available to the public for a couple of months. Unfortunately, we were inundated with spam and inappropriate comments. As a result, we are forced to limit comments to our membership. Non-members can still view our news articles and the remarks submitted by our members, but we regret that they won’t be permitted to leave their own comments.

  • March 17, 2021 10:00 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Another eagle-eyed member of the Tesla Motors Club Forum discovered the permit for the "Coming Soon" Winter Park Supercharger Station.

    Not surprisingly, it's being installed at a Wawa. The address is 901 N Orlando Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789.

    Below is a vicinity map:

    Above the red arrow shows the exact location of the Supercharger Station.  The grey pin to the right is an approximate location on Tesla's Find Us map which is attached to the Winter Park label. 


    Above is a Google view of the Wawa parking lot. The red rectangle shows the location of the 12 charging stalls.  With just 28 parking spots it is surprising that Wawa would generously devote 12 of them to charging stalls.


    The above two photos show the charging stalls.  The second photo shows two Supercharger cabinets on the right and one Supercharger cabinet with the main switchgear on the left. Nearby on the left is an empty meter cabinet awaiting the meter to be installed. The utility transformer should be nearby probably to the left out of frame.  Behind the two Superchargers on the right is a newly installed cable pole. That connects to the high-voltage overhead wires and transitions to underground high-voltage cable. That cable will be buried in the greenspace to feed the utility transformer to the left.


    Update as of March 14, 2021.


    The above two photos show that this installation is very near to being operational. Note that the utility meter has been installed.

    Update as of March 17, 2021.


    The Winter Park Supercharger Station is operational.


    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:             lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:          teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook:        Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    Twitter:           Tesla Owners Florida

  • March 17, 2021 9:00 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Please scroll down to the bottom of the article for the most current status.

    Lately there have been a number of rumors concerning a future Merritt Island Service Center. That information was confirmed last month when the Florida Regional Service Manager reposted the following LinkedIn posting by a Tesla recruiter.

    So, we knew that a service center was coming to Merritt Island, but we didn’t know where.

    I found a permit application for an alarm system at the former Toyota dealership on Merritt Island in which documents mentioning Tesla are listed.  The location is 1545 E Merritt Island Causeway, Merritt Island, FL 32952.

    Here's a vicinity map of the location.

    Here's a Google view of the site:


    Here's a photo from the County's Property records.

    Update as of October 23, 2020.


    The Toyota signage has been removed.



    It appears that Tesla will be installing five level 2 Wall Connectors.

    Update as of October 28, 2020.


    Our guess that they would be installing Tesla Wall Connectors was correct.  Here are five.

    Update as of October 29, 2020.


    On the left is a close up of the rear of one of the Tesla Wall Connectors.  Each Connector has a 60 amp disconnect switch which means that these are Gen 3, 48 amp Wall Connectors.  Also note on the right is the front of the Connector and each is enclosed in a plywood box, presumably to prevent public charging.


    Another view of the enclosures around the Wall Connectors.

    Update as of November 1, 2020.

    The next three photos show the new security lighting that has been installed.




    Update as of December 3, 2020.


    This Service Center had a soft opening on November 30, 2020.  It is scheduling service appointments.

     There still isn't any office furniture.  Our club hosted the Regional Service Manager for a Virtual Meetup with our members this week.  He indicated that service operations was a priority but he plans to open sales operations next year.

     


    The Service Center now has five operational Destination Chargers. Please note that these chargers are not for public charging.  They are for the Service Center operations.


     

    Here's a close up of one of the new Gen3 Tesla Wall Connectors with tempered glass faceplate.  They have a maximum capacity of 48 amps and require a Wi-Fi connection to configure them for operation.  Tesla plans to issue a firmware upgrade that will permit up to 16 Gen3 Wall Connectors to share power.


    Tesla Service Van.

    Update as of December 4, 2020.




    It is reported that there are numerous Tesla awaiting service.

    Update as of December 6, 2020.


    More security.

    Note the "X" design.  I wonder if this Model S came from  

    Update as of January 17, 2021.

    It appears that work continues on the build-out of the Sales Operations, along with deliveries of new vehicles.



    There is some speculation that these covered Model Ss might be the new refreshed design.

    Update as of January 26, 2021.


    I am informed that the body shop across the street, MITCHCO Collison Repair, is getting Tesla certified.

    Updated February 10, 2021.

    IMPORTANT NOTE: Tesla management has requested that we refrain from taking photos on their property after regular business hours. I respectfully ask everyone to comply.  After regular business hours, people on Tesla's property may learn that their photo and vehicle information was forwarded to local law enforcement for follow-up. Please do not enter the service area without being escorted by Tesla employees due to safety and security concerns.

    Updated March 17, 2021.


    New signage.


    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:      lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:   teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook: Florida Tesla Enthusiasts


  • March 16, 2021 11:25 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Miss the rumble and growl of an engine?  NASCAR will give you a thrill! 

    On February 28, 2021, twelve members of our Tesla family met up at Homestead-Miami Speedway for an afternoon of car displays and racing.  Upon arrival at the Speedway, we were ushered into a display area for a car show.  The serious owners quickly brought out the polish and got their cars in flawless condition.  Some owners focused on the talent portion of the show and got their vehicles ready to entertain the crowd.  Dale Johnson's Model X performed a "dance" to Mannheim Steamroller and drew quite the audience applause! 



    Our Best-In-Show went to Rocco Terrizzi for the age-old question..."What's under the hood"? 


    A V8, of course!  The members of the Mustang Club were very impressed, as were the Judges!  Congrats Rocco!



    The race got underway at 3:30pm with an exciting roar!  The stands rumbled, and the cars were fast!  The strategies were clear, be faster and be first!  35 cars and drivers thrilled the crowd for the afternoon.

    The event was comfortable and safe, masks were mandatory, and the stands were approximately one quarter filled.  The weather was perfect with lots of sunshine and a cool breeze!  Our group had a great time and made a lasting impression on a lot of ICE owners!


    Much thanks go to Denise Grant for organizing this event and providing the write-up.

    Are you a Tesla enthusiasts and feeling a bit of cabin fever during the pandemic?  If you're not a member, but would like to participate in our next Scenic Drive, Virtual Meetup or Socially Distanced outdoor event throughout the state, please click on the Join Us menu item at the top of the page. 

    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:        lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:    teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook:  Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    Twitter:     Tesla Owners Florida

  • March 11, 2021 10:31 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Have you noticed that some of us Tesla owners are a little OCD about our Teslas?  Well, I know I am. If you’ve gotten into heated discussions with your fellow owners about which county has the most Teslas, or wondered how many Teslas there are in Florida, below is a link to a table to pander to your obsessive behavior.  

    Click the link below:

    Florida Tesla Registrations for Year-End 2020

    Much thanks go to my friends at FPL for providing the stats.


    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:             lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:          teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook:        Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    Twitter:           Tesla Owners Florida

  • March 10, 2021 2:06 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)



    Our club members were movie stars on a Public Service Announcement.

    If you join our club I think I can arrange for these celebrities to provide autographs for their adoring public.  


    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:             lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:          teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook:        Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    Twitter:           Tesla Owners Florida

  • March 05, 2021 4:20 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Please scroll down to the bottom of the article for the most recent status.

    A reader of our news articles did a bit of detective work searching Brevard County public records. He discovered that Tesla recently submitted a permit application for a new Supercharger Station in Rockledge and passed the information on to me.

    The proposed site is at the Viera Village Center shopping mall located at 5410 Murrell Rd, Rockledge, FL 32955.

    Here’s the permit application:

    You will note that Tesla is proposing an 8-stall Version 3 Supercharger Station.

    Below is a vicinity map:

    The red arrow marks the location of the proposed Supercharger Station in Rockledge.  It nicely splits the distance between the new Titusville Superchargers and the West Melbourne Superchargers to 24 and 19 miles, respectively. The "Coming Soon" Cocoa West Supercharger, which used to be displayed on Tesla's Find Us page, is no longer listed. Its removal is not surprising since it would have been only about 10 miles from this proposed Supercharger Station.



    Above is a Google view of The Village Center parking lot. Based on where the underground utilities are located, I am guessing that the charging stalls will be near the red rectangle. After the permit is issued, that is where I would start looking for signs of breaking ground.  As the project proceeds let's see if my guess is correct. 

    Update: Well my guess was wrong. Please scroll down for the correct location.

    This permit application was submitted on December 1, 2020 and at this time an Electrical Contractor has yet to be assigned to the project. We should not expect any progress until that happens.

    Update as of January 25, 2021.

    Permit was issued on January 25, 2021.

    Update as of February 5, 2021.

    Our eagle-eye reader (thanks Mike) who discovered the permit on this Supercharger Station found that construction started and my guess was incorrect.


    My guess was the red rectangle on the left above. The actual location, in the far right corner of the parking, is better.


    Here Mike labels the charging posts that he has seen under construction.

    Interestingly, the original permit was for 8 charging post, but as you will see in subsequent photos, Tesla has delivered 3 Version 3 Superchargers with each powering 4 charging posts.


    Three Version 3 Supercharger cabinets to power 12 charging posts.


    Tesla informs me that they will be installing 12 charging posts. I am guessing that four more charging posts will eventually be added adjacent to the number 8 label show in an earlier image.


    Some of the initial construction of the charging posts.



    Three charging posts with the concrete pad for the Supercharger cabinets and switchgear in the background.



    We zoomed in on the concrete pad. It's hard to see, it appears that there are conduits for 3 Supercharger cabinets.

    Update as of February 13, 2021.


    Work has now begun on installing the last four charging posts. Mike has helpfully updated this image to show posts number 9 through 12.



    Here are charging posts 9 through 12, with the concrete pad for the Supercharger cabinets and switchgear.



    Switchgear to the left with three Version 3 Supercharger cabinets.



    This is the first time I have seen this arrangement with bollards to protect the charging posts set at 90 degrees from a typical orientation.  It looks like a clever idea, but to protect the posts while minimizing the chance of damage to Teslas, I think I would have positioned the bollards up past the curbing and installed some parking bumpers. We have communicated our concerns to Tesla. 


    Pulling in cable from the charging posts to the Supercharger cabinets.

    Update as of February 18, 2021.


    A view of all the charging posts.



    Zooming in on the meter cabinet.  No meter yet and no utility transformer which should be nearby.


    Another view of the charging posts and the meter cabinet to the right. I am guessing that the utility transformer will be installed behind the orange fencing.

    Update as of February 19, 2021.


    This view is across Murrell Road with the Superchargers directly behind. It shows utility markers directly aligned with an existing utility transformer across the street.



    This photo is the same point of view as the previous, but further back to show the excavation adjacent to the Supercharger pad.



    Above is my description of what I think will happen. The existing transformer on the right denotes the location of existing underground high voltage cable.  The utility markers in the previous photo suggests that the utility will be boring under the street to extend the cable to the Supercharger location. The excavation adjacent to the Supercharger pad is the likely location of a future concrete pad for a new transformer to power the Supercharger Station.  So, while the fencing has been removed and to the causal observer this installation looks almost ready, the fact remains that there is a bit more utility work needed.


    Update as of March 4, 2021.


    A member of the Tesla Motor Club (TMC) forum took this photo and spoke with these Tesla Energy technicians.  They told him that they were closing out some minor items, placing the post numbers on, etc. They allowed him to charge.  So apparently, there's a utility transformer somewhere nearby and they were bypassing the missing meter to allow charging.  The hole next to the pad shown in previous photos has been filled in and sodded over.


    One of our readers reported to me that he spoke with two workers on March 2. They told him that two fuses would complete the install in a day or so. This would be immediately followed by a city inspection for approval of use. From that point on, it would be up to Tesla to open the site.

    On March 4, another member of Tesla Motor Club (TMC) forum reported that he was able to charge despite the fact that the Supercharger Station is not currently listed as active on the Find Us page or in the Tesla navigation systems.

    Update as of March 5, 2021.


    The Rockledge Supercharger Station is operational.

    Update as of March 5, 2021.


    Yes, we knew that there had to be a transformer there somewhere, but finally here's a photo.


    Thanks.

    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:      lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:   teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook: Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

  • February 28, 2021 4:18 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    On February 26, 2021, we had our first unstructured Virtual Happy Hour. No, we didn't solve all the world's problems. Still, it was fun and a welcome diversion from Coronavirus House Arrest to see and chat with our members from across the state. If there's interest, we might do this every month.


    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:      lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:   teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook: Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

  • February 27, 2021 10:42 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    On February 23, 2021, Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman Peter Welch introduced the Electric Cars Act. This is bicameral legislation that would extend the electric vehicle tax credit for 10 years and help implement charging infrastructure.

    Currently, a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 is available for the purchase of electric vehicles. However, the law caps the number of eligible vehicles at 200,000 per manufacturer. After reaching the threshold, a phaseout of the credit begins. Domestic manufacturers General Motors and Tesla have already hit the manufacturing cap, and consumers no longer receive tax credits for those American brands. As a result, the law currently creates incentives for electric car buyers to purchase imported vehicles over American electric vehicles.

    The Electric Cars Act would improve the current tax credit by:

    • Eliminating the per manufacturer cap, allowing consumers access to the tax credit for the next 10 years, regardless of the manufacturer from which they purchase their car;
    • Allowing buyers to use the tax credit over a 5-year period or apply the credit on the spot at the dealership to reduce the price of the vehicle, making the credit more applicable to those without large tax liability; and
    • Providing a 10-year extension of tax credits for alternative fuel vehicles and charging infrastructure to incentivize the buildout of this important infrastructure around the country.

    “As climate chaos continues to ramp up with record-setting winter storms, violent hurricanes, and catastrophic wildfires, it is imperative that we transition away from gasoline-powered vehicles, which are fanning the flames of the crisis,” said Senator Merkley. “Consumers are already looking for electric cars, and this bill will help drive adoption faster—and make sure more of those cars are made by American workers in American factories.”

    “We need to quickly and aggressively invest in electric vehicles to combat the global climate emergency that threatens all of our local communities,” said Congressman Welch. “Owning an electric vehicle can be cheaper and offers significant public health and environmental benefits, but for many Americans they are unaffordable at the dealership. This bill makes the next generation of electric vehicles accessible to more people by allowing them to receive the electric vehicle tax credit right away. Encouraging electric vehicle adoption is a common sense win for consumers, the environment, and American workers.”

    The full text of the legislation is available here.


    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:      lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:   teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook: Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

  • February 23, 2021 2:23 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    New Delray Beach Service Center

    Tesla opened another, what I call a  “Pop-Up” Service Center at 3000 S Federal Highway, Delray, FL 33483.  This was another pleasant surprise that we weren’t aware of until Tesla informed me of its soft-opening this week.

    This was formerly a Ford and Hyundai Service Center.


    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:             lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:          teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook:        Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

  • February 21, 2021 5:35 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Please scroll down to the bottom of the article for current status.

    The above photo of the St. Petersburg Supercharger Station under construction was posted to Facebook.  It is not listed as a “Coming Soon” Supercharger on Tesla’s official Find Us page. It is located at a Wawa at 3637 34th St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33711.

    Here is the permit:


    Digging a little deeper into public records it states:

    Tesla proposes to Install an Electric Vehicle Charging station at Wawa consisting of (2) V3 SUPERCHARGER CABINETS, (8) V3 CHARGING POSTS, (1) MASTER CONTROLLER, (1) SWITCHGEAR ASSEMBLY, and (1) UTILITY TRANSFORMER.

    And:

    Install 1500 amp rated MLO MDP w/2-700 amp 480 volt breakers feeding 1-each Tesla charging cabinet. Each charging cabinet has 4-350 amp devices feeding 4-250 KW DC charging posts. Install 30 amp 277 volt circuit to site controller.

    Here is a vicinity map:


    The red arrows marks the location. It is 22 miles south of the Pinellas Supercharger Station.

    Update as of December 4, 2020.




    Update as of December 5, 2020.


    This concrete pad is for two Supercharger cabinets and the main switchgear.

    Update as of December 28, 2020.


    Main switchgear in front with two version 3 Supercharger cabinets behind it.



    Another view of switchgear and Supercharger cabinets along with the charging posts.



    The installed utility transformer and meter on the left is probably for service to the Wawa.  The concrete pad and empty meter cabinet is for a future utility transformer and meter for service to the Supercharger station.



    Eight charging posts, seven back in, one pull in.

    Update as of January 4, 2020.


    Another view of the vacant transformer pad.



    Another view of all 8 charging posts.

    Update as of February 21, 2021.


    The Saint Petersburg Supercharger Station is operational.



    Larry Chanin

    President, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

    email:             lfchanin@gmail.com

    Website:          teslaownersflorida.org

    Facebook:        Florida Tesla Enthusiasts

Florida Tesla Enthusiasts, Inc. is an enthusiast club and 501(c) 7 non-profit organization. It is registered with the Florida Department of State and is also registered to do business in Florida as Tesla Owners Florida.

The use of the trademarked name "Tesla" in our club names is strictly for the nominative purposes of description and identification as granted by the Lanham Act for fair use of trademarks. Its use is in no way intended to imply any business affiliation with Tesla or its subsidiaries.

Our club is an official partner of the Tesla Owners Club Program. While it is recognized and sanctioned by Tesla through the program, Florida Tesla Enthusiasts, a/k/a Tesla Owners Club of Florida, is an independent enthusiast organization and is not affiliated with Tesla or its subsidiaries. TESLA, MODEL S, MODEL X, MODEL 3, POWERWALL and the “TESLA,” “T” and “TESLA and T Flag” designs, and certain other marks, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Tesla Motors, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

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