Reports: Tesla to build charging station in Kern
Tesla Inc. closed escrow this month on a 25-acre parcel in west Kern where, according to a party in the transaction, the electric vehicle-maker hopes to build the first of nine tractor-trailer charging stations to be located between its Northern California manufacturing plant and the Texas-Mexican border.
The “megacharger” station proposed at the southeast corner of Interstate 5 and Stockdale
Highway would include about 40 charging stalls accommodating Tesla Semi-Truck vehicles capable of traveling more than 800 miles per day at more than 300 miles per charge, a Bakersfield-based consultant involved in the property sale, Eknoor Singh, said Tuesday.
Tesla has indicated it hopes to use the property for other operations it has not yet disclosed, Singh said, adding, “They said it’ll be more than just charging.”
Tesla already operates a charging station serving passenger vehicles at the same I-5 offramp. Separately, it has won a permit from the county to build an electric vehicle charging station with 164 stalls near the interstate along Highway 46. The company did not respond to a request for comment.
County property records show Tesla purchased the property along Stockdale Highway on April 4 from a locally based limited liability company.
Bloomberg reported Aug. 1 that, based on emails viewed by the news agency, Tesla was seeking $100 million in federal money to build nine electric tractor-trailer charging stations, each equipped with 750-kilowatt chargers for its own trucks and others for large trucks built by competing companies.
Other news sources have since reported these megacharger stations would be located in four California cities — Fremont, Bakersfield, Compton and Indio — as well as in Phoenix and San
Simon, Ariz. and three Texas cities: Sparks, Fort Stockton and Laredo.
“The way the route is designed, it appears to support transport between Tesla’s Fremont factory and its upcoming factory in Monterrey, Mexico,” Electrek. co reported in August. “It would likely also help with transport between Tesla’s operations in California and Texas, and Texas and Mexico.”
Singh said Tesla did not state when it wants to open the station but that the design process is already complete. He said the company plans to develop the site by itself near Stoner Drive and Trask Street.
“It was a privilege working with the team over at Tesla, and we were happy they could see the commercial appeal for having such a location in Bakersfield,” he said.
Director Lorelei Oviatt of the county Planning and Natural Resources Department said work remains before Tesla may begin construction.
“They have not come to the Planning Department to permit that project,” she said.