Tesla has recently submitted a proposal to construct nine electric semitruck charging stations along the route between California and Texas. The charging stations, known as Megachargers, were originally promised by the automaker when it unveiled the Tesla Semi electric truck back in 2017.
Currently, Tesla is producing the Tesla Semi in limited quantities for select customers and its internal operations. As a result, the need for charging stations tailored specifically to electric semitrucks, such as the Megachargers, has been relatively low. Nevertheless, the company has deployed some Megachargers at customer distribution centers and its own facilities, like the Gigafactory in Nevada. Additionally, mobile Megachargers have been installed at strategic locations as required.
The new plan aims to create a permanent network of Megachargers to support the growing demand for electric semitruck charging infrastructure. According to Bloomberg, Tesla has requested $97 million in federal funding to help build this network, and the company will contribute $24 million towards the project.
Each of the nine proposed charging stations would be equipped with eight Megachargers, each capable of delivering 750 kW of power. Additionally, four chargers designed for other electric trucks, potentially using the Megawatt Charging standard, would be included at each station.
The strategic location of the charging route suggests that it will support transportation between Tesla’s Fremont factory and its upcoming facility in Monterrey, Mexico. Furthermore, it is expected to facilitate logistics between Tesla’s operations in California and Texas, as well as between Texas and Mexico.
The fate of the semitruck charging network project remains uncertain pending the federal government’s decision on funding allocation, expected to be announced later this year. It is unclear whether Tesla intends to proceed with the construction of the network even without the grants.
As Tesla seeks to advance its electric trucking infrastructure, the proposed network of Megachargers could mark a significant milestone in establishing electric semitrucks as a viable and sustainable transportation option in the United States.
