Tesla has submitted a plan to build nine electric semitruck charging stations between California and Texas.
As we reported yesterday, Tesla is still producing the Tesla Semi electric truck only in low volume for a few customers and its own operations. It limits the need for charging stations specifically for electric semi trucks, which Tesla calls Megachargers.
The automaker has deployed some at its customers’ distribution centers and at its own facilities, like at Gigafactory Nevada. Tesla has also installed mobile Megachargers at some strategic spots at times.
Now Tesla is looking to build permanent Megachargers as it originally promised when unveiling the Tesla Semi in 2017.
Bloomberg reports that Tesla has submitted a plan to build nine Megachargers between California and Texas.
The report comes through a request for $97 million in federal funding to help build what would be the first network of electric truck charging stations in the US – Tesla would contribute $24 million to the project.
Each charging station would be equipped with eight Megachargers, with each a capacity of 750 kW, and four chargers designed for other electric trucks, likely the Megawatt Charging standard.
The way the route is designed, it appears to support transport between Tesla’s Fremont factory and its upcoming factory in Monterrey, Mexico. It would likely also help with transport between Tesla’s operations in California and Texas, and Texas and Mexico.
The federal government is expected to announce which projects will receive the grants later this year. It’s unclear if Tesla plans to proceed with the semitruck charging network without the grants.