Pilot Travel Centers has agreed with Tesla to install dedicated chargers for the Tesla Semi at select locations across California, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. This move aims to support the growing adoption of electric heavy-duty trucks. The installations will feature high-power charging stalls along key highways.
Pilot Travel Centers, the largest network of travel stops in North America with more than 900 locations, announced a partnership with Tesla to deploy Tesla Semi Chargers at some of its sites. The chargers will be placed in California, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas, focusing on major routes to facilitate long-haul trucking.
In California, the installations will line Interstate 5, which runs the length of the state, and Interstate 10, a key corridor through the Los Angeles area and eastward. Each selected Pilot center will receive between four and eight charging stalls, each capable of delivering 1.2 megawatts of power. These are designed primarily for the Tesla Semi, though future upgrades could allow compatibility with other electric heavy-duty trucks.
"Helping to shape the future of energy is a strategic pillar in meeting the needs of our guests and the North American transportation industry," said Shannon Sturgil, senior vice president of alternative fuels at Pilot. "Heavy-duty charging is yet another extension of our exploration into alternative fuel offerings, and we’re happy to partner with a leader in the space that provides turnkey solutions and deploys them quickly."
The Tesla Semi, first unveiled as a prototype in 2017, is slated for production starting in spring 2026. This timing aligns with broader trends in electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MDHVs). In the United States, sales of battery-electric MDHVs surged from a few hundred annually before 2021 to over 120,000 in 2024 alone, including growth in Class 4–8 trucks essential for freight transport.
While Pilot already offers some EV charging for passenger vehicles, this initiative targets the heavy-duty sector, where infrastructure remains limited. The partnership reflects increasing momentum in electric trucking, driven by both Tesla and competitors entering the market.
