Tesla, the trailblazing electric vehicle manufacturer, is reportedly vying for approximately $100 million in funding to materialize an expansive charging route stretching from Texas to California. This visionary project aims to establish nine charging stations specifically designed to accommodate all-electric semi-trucks, as revealed in a recent report from Bloomberg.
Email correspondence obtained by the publication sheds light on Tesla's intentions. The company envisions each charging station featuring a combination of eight units of its proprietary Semi's Megacharger and four chargers tailored to cater to rival all-electric Class 8 trucks. These emails, exchanged between Tesla executives and the Texas Department of Transportation, span from May to early July.
Tesla's quest for funding rests on its assertion that it qualifies for grants within the framework of the bipartisan infrastructure program launched by the Biden administration. This program seeks to bolster the proliferation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, encompassing both passenger and commercial vehicles. To bolster its case, Tesla has sought the support of Texas government officials through a formal letter endorsing its proposed "charging corridor," for which it submitted an application in June.
The announcement of grant recipients, facilitated by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, is anticipated later this year. The agency is presently engaged in evaluating submitted applications.
The envisioned charging corridor would span a substantial distance, connecting Tesla's production facility in Fremont to Laredo, Texas, positioned at the U.S.-Mexico border. Along this route, charging stations would be strategically located in Bakersfield, California; Compton, California; Indio, California; Phoenix, Arizona; San Simon, Arizona; Sparks, Texas; Fort Stockton, Texas; culminating in Laredo, Texas.
Notably, Tesla already operates a dedicated logistics lane at the border, streamlining supply chain activities with Mexican suppliers. Moreover, the company is actively planning the establishment of a manufacturing facility in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
In addition to pursuing government funding, Tesla is committed to investing its own resources into the project. The report indicates that the company is earmarking $24 million of its own funds, supplementing the $97 million sought from government sources.
While the outcome remains uncertain, as there is no information on whether Tesla will proceed with the project without securing funding, this ambitious endeavor underscores the company's unwavering commitment to advancing electric mobility and forging new frontiers in sustainable transportation infrastructure.
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