- As the US rollout of the Tesla Semi truck continues, Tesla has updated its charger map to show 64 new Megacharger EV charging locations which are coming soon, with locations spanning right across the country.
- This development will eventually bring the total number of Tesla Megachargers in operation across the US to 66.
- As the name suggests, these Megachargers will support the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) charging connector.
Tesla set for rapid expansion of electric truck charging infrastructure
The megawatt charging stations will bring significantly higher power levels than existing CCS chargers, enabling charging speeds of up to 1MW. For electric trucks with very large battery packs, this is crucial to minimise downtime and keep vehicles on tight logistics schedules – and the Tesla Semi itself can already support this ultra-fast charging standard.
Tesla’s own charge point map shows the scale of this planned expansion, with planned Megacharger locations dotted from West to East coast – with significant clusters of planned stations in states such as California and Texas – in fact, these two states make up over 50% of the planned 64 locations coming online in the future.
Currently, Tesla operates just two Megacharger locations – one in Lathrop, California, and one in Sparks, Nevada. While exact dates for the launches of these new stations haven’t been confirmed, it indicates that significant expansion is set to take place over the next few years, coming at a critical time for Tesla’s electric truck business. While the Tesla Semi has already been operating in small numbers for businesses such as PepsiCo, mass production of the truck is expected to start later this year, which makes these 64 new charging locations an essential asset to entice businesses into purchasing Tesla Semi units.
For the US market, Tesla isn’t without competition when it comes to electric trucks, with established brands such as Volvo Truck already operating and selling electric models, alongside newer brands such as Windrose. As competition intensifies in this sector, charging infrastructure could become a key differentiator.
