Competition strategy
Unique sites reward coverage, not a pretty line on the map
If the goal is to visit the most different Supercharger sites, the route needs to produce new stops efficiently. But “efficient” cannot mean blindly zigzagging through every dense cluster. The trip still has a driver, a clock, a vehicle, and a life around it.
Written by Anthony Pappano ·
- Score idea: Different qualifying sites visited
- Strong terrain: Dense corridors with multiple exits
- Planning tension: Site count versus detour cost
Measure the cost of the next unique stop
The useful question is not simply “how many chargers are nearby?” It is “how much time and distance does the next new site add compared with continuing?” Two sites that appear close on a national map can sit on opposite sides of traffic, tolls, or an awkward road pattern.
I would prioritize runs where several new sites line up along the direction of travel. A small detour can be worthwhile when it opens another dense corridor. A large out-and-back for one isolated site deserves more skepticism unless the place itself matters to the journey.
Keep the site history clean
This category depends on uniqueness, so recordkeeping matters. Display names can change, nearby locations can sound alike, and a return visit can feel new after a long trip. Keep a reliable log of Tesla’s location identity, the session time, and enough context to recognize a duplicate.
ChargeQuest plans with a live Supercharger feed and preserves the route sequence, but Tesla’s own account and competition records remain the authority. I would compare the plan with the actual charging history throughout the year rather than wait until December to find a mismatch.
Use memorable stops to make an aggressive route human
A pure site-count route can become a blur of parking lots. That may be the correct competitive choice for someone, but it is not the only way to pursue the category. I like using a few national parks, cities, roadside landmarks, or Iconic Charger badges as anchors, then letting the dense network between them do the counting work.
You may give up a handful of theoretical stops. You may also build a trip you still care about halfway through. That trade is worth seeing clearly before the first mile.