April 19, 2024 – Despite facing new challenges, Tesla is moving forward with its plans to create a 1,800-mile charging corridor between Texas and California for its Semi project.
Although the initiative has been overshadowed by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Elon Musk remains determined to push ahead with the scheme. Tesla has long hoped to secure a 100millionsubsidyfromtheChargingandFuelingInfrastructure(CFI)programundertheFederalHighwayAdministration(FHWA).Combinedwithapproximately24 million of its own funds, the company aims to construct nine electric semi-truck charging stations along the route from Laredo, Texas to Fremont, California.
If completed, this corridor will establish the first charging network capable of supporting long-distance and regional electric truck transportation. However, without it, Tesla’s commitment to electrifying heavy-duty trucks may become even more elusive.
Recently, Tesla submitted a 964-page document to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, proposing a project named TESSERACT to the FHWA. This acronym stands for “Transportation Electrification Supporting Semi-truck Activities in Arizona, California, and Texas”.
Theoretically, this 1,800-mile route will connect two of Tesla’s North American vehicle factories, as well as a planned but delayed factory in Mexico. Each charging station is initially intended to be equipped with eight 750-kilowatt chargers for Tesla semis and four chargers for other electric trucks.
