First charger sites planned for 2026 across key U.S. freight corridors.
Pilot Travel Centers and Tesla will develop a new network of charging sites for heavy‑duty electric trucks, with the first locations expected to open in summer 2026. The agreement positions the travel‑center operator as an early host of Tesla’s high‑power Semi Chargers.
The stations will be installed at select Pilot locations along major freight routes, including the I‑5 and I‑10 corridors. Additional sites are planned in California, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas, focusing on areas where demand for heavy‑duty electrification is growing. Each site will include between four and eight charging stalls equipped with Tesla’s V4 technology, delivering up to 1.2 megawatts per stall.
Shannon Sturgil, senior vice president of alternative fuels at Pilot, said: “Helping to shape the future of energy is a strategic pillar in meeting the needs of our guests and the North American transportation industry.” The chargers are designed to support Tesla’s Semi trucks initially, with potential compatibility for other manufacturers in the future.
Tesla has said that a 30‑minute charging session can recover most of a Semi’s 500‑mile range, aligning with mandatory rest periods for commercial drivers. Heavy‑duty charging is viewed as a critical step in the broader transition toward alternative fuels across long‑haul transport.
Pilot is expanding its energy portfolio to meet this shift, adding electrification, hydrogen, renewable diesel and higher‑blend biodiesel offerings. The company operates more than 900 travel centers across the U.S. and Canada and is one of the region’s major suppliers of renewable fuels.
