Tesla sells a lot of cars in China, but the U.S. is the largest market for its EVs. You’d think, then, that the world’s largest Supercharger station would be right here in the U.S. of A.
Not so. That honor goes to Shanghai.
That may be changing, as The Drive reports Tesla plans to build an even larger Supercharger station in Coalinga, California.
What’s so special about this town of fewer than 14,000 people? It’s the home of Harris Ranch, the state’s largest beef producer, which is a supplier for the In-N-Out Burger chain and with some irony, likely a major methane producer as well.
Also, there’s the Harris Ranch Inn. Tesla and Harris Ranch have a history together. The inn was to be the site of Tesla’s battery-swapping station, though that plan never went anywhere. There are now 13 Superchargers at the inn. Its location on Interstate 5 between LA and San Francisco means that these chargers are popular — and often crowded.
Plans to expand the Harris Ranch facility call for “over 100” chargers; Shanghai has but 72 stations. Keep in mind that this California expansion hasn’t been finalized yet; Harris Ranch posted the announcement about a week ago. Whether there will be exactly 100 chargers or more than 100 isn’t clear. The application for the construction and charger installation was filed on March 1st.
With its location between the two largest cities in the state — an EV-intensive state at that — this site could be a game-changer. Waiting times at Supercharger sites have been a problem for a while — it’s not that the chargers are taking too long, it’s that there’s a wait for one to be free. With over 100 Superchargers at Coalinga and another 40 just a half-hour south on I-5 in Kettleman City, Tesla drivers in the state should have no problem making the drive between Southern California and the Bay Area.
DISCUSSION
Harris Ranch is far from ‘random’. The first time I, from San Diego, made the trip with my girlfriend to her parents’ place, in Sacramento, Harris Ranch was the one stop we actually planned. Tri-tip sandwiches to die for.
I’ve been told be several other native Californians that Harris Ranch is the truth, so I don’t think you can categorize this as anything close to ‘random’.