Erie Supercharger FOUND!

FINALLY, building permits for the Supercharger in Erie, PA are in the works.  We've been waiting for this location to appear for years now as it's popped on and off the "Coming Soon" maps on Tesla's website.  It will be a vital link for travelers on multiple routes and Tesla is sizing the site accordingly.

So here it is: 2225 Downs Drive, Erie 16509.  Right by the highway ramps for I-90 and surrounded by amenities on Peach Street.  Let's take a look.
UPDATE: This location powered up June 3, 2016. Click for details.

Information gathered by Matt and Jake places the Superchargers in the parking lot of the Hilton Garden Inn Erie.  There will be eight charger slots at the time of construction.  This section of the parking lot is two spaces deep and sources say the cars will somehow "be facing south" when plugged in.  Best guess is that Tesla is trying to set this location up to handle a fleet of Model Xs with boats in tow (Hello Lake Erie!)  Our "red boxes" could be slightly off, with only half of the charging slots having pull through capabilities (like Rocklin).  It's also possible that they could be back to back chargers (like Somerset), or this could also indicate a shift away completely from "curb-locked" Supercharger sites.  Only time will tell.

Word on the street is that the ground break will start as soon as the weather breaks.  Admittedly, in Erie this is sometimes deep into July (kidding).  Realistically, we should expect to see some construction activity around March/April with a planned ribbon cutting in the early Spring.

The Hilton Garden Inn is part of a larger facility called the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center, which includes a Courtyard by Marriott and the Safari Grille.  The entire facility is ideal for any road-weary snow birds making their seasonal migration or wedding parties/business meetings full of Tesla owners.

Within easy walking distance of the Supercharger there a lots of food options.  A Cracker Barrel beckons for those needing a longer charge, while an Applebee's and Burger King split the medium and short charging crowd.  If you're willing to brave the pedestrian lights on Peach Street, you can also easily walk to our usual stops, Quaker Steak and Lube.  Widen your search zone a little more and the world is your oyster:  Steak n' Shake, Golden Corral, Krispy Kreme, Texas Roadhouse, Eat n' Park-- they're all accessible by sidewalk.  Or you can drive to many more within a mile radius, like our other frequent stop: Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que.

Other nearby shopping opportunities and amusements are nearly endless.  All the big box store companies are represented as well as a movie theater and a family-oriented water park called Splash Lagoon, which is owned by the same parent company as the Hilton Garden Inn.

Speculating even further it's worth nothing that the Ambassador Center is owned by Scott Enterprises.  They're a huge hospitality company operating in Erie and the region around it.  You might have noticed that while checking the restaurant links above-- most of them are operated by Scott Enterprises.

While Splash Lagoon is too close to really make use of it, their ski resort and spa at Peek n' Peek would be ideal for the Tesla Destination Charger program.  Located in Clymer, New York, Peek n' Peek is about a half hour drive into the countryside.  The Erie Supercharger would put the resort within an easy drive from Pittsburgh, regardless of weather.  Destination charging would just sweeten the deal and broaden the path for Tesla owners who want the peace of mind that comes from traveling on the Supercharger routes but appreciate being able to charge where they stay.  Just throwing that out there as an idea...

In the meantime, Pittsburghers in particular can rejoice that a favorite weekend getaway destination will soon be open for business.  If you're looking at this Supercharger as just another dot on the map, please don't.  Take our advice and make time for a more in depth stay in Erie.  The beaches and bike trails of Presque Isle State Park are worth your time and there's lots of other great attractions in Erie.  A favorite of ours was touring the Flagship Niagara and enjoying the details and massiveness of Pennsylvania's official flagship.  If you stay overnight, consider booking one of our new Supercharger's host hotels.

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