BEAUMONT, Texas — New Tesla charging stations are now up and running in Beaumont.
The station is limited to Tesla vehicles and is located at the Walden Park Shopping Center at 5780 Walden Road.
There are 12 Superchargers at the station, which are available 24/7 for up to 250 kilowatts.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from a June 22, 2022 newscast.)
Superchargers can add up to 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes. Since charging above 80 percent is rarely necessary, stops are typically short and convenient, according to Tesla's website.
There are already several electric charging stations around Southeast Texas, including at Lamar University. However, some Southeast Texans believe the area needs more.
"Many years down the road, you can say whatever number you want 20, 30, 40 whatever, there will be almost all or exclusively electric vehicles and probably no gasoline-powered cars or trucks,” Tom Taschinger, political analyst, previously told 12News.
Taschinger is planning for the future. He believes the automobile industry is already beginning to see a new trend thanks to higher gas prices.
“When gas price is high, the value of an electric vehicle it appears greater,” Taschinger said.
Taschinger believes electric vehicle sales are on the rise, that is why he's advocating for more electric charging stations in Southeast Texas to meet the area's growth.
"What will be needed, again long range, is charging stations at big companies in the downtown, wherever, the mall, any place where there are large employers,” Taschinger said.
The Texas Department of Transportation has a plan to add more electric charging stations on rural highways. However, Taschinger said Jefferson County and Orange County are not on the list.
"Orange County is the first county that westbound travelers reach on Interstate 10, and in fact, the state of Texas has a major visitors center in Orange County right across the state line for that reason,” Taschinger said.
Taschinger pointed out Texas is becoming more reliable on renewable energy such as wind power. He believes more electric vehicles and charging stations could contribute to a trend and cut down on air pollution.
"If an electric car can be charged with power from a wind or solar powered unit well, that's very friendly to the environment,” Taschinger said, “You want that."
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