JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Electric cars will now be able to charge up in northeast Florida for long-distance road trips.
Tesla Motors expanded its Supercharger network by opening a Tesla Supercharger in St. Augustine by the Gap in the outlet mall.
Last year, Tesla opened Florida Superchargers in Port St. Lucie, Fort Myers and Port Orange for Tesla Model S owners.
The St. Augustine Supercharger will support the Interstate 95 route, providing owners free travel from Miami to Boston. The company says they now have 71 of the sites across the country. (See U.S. map of Tesla charging stations)
"It's free forever for anyone who owns a Model S vehicle," said Alexi Georgeson, of Tesla Motors.
The Model S is the first mass-produced electric premium sedan and has a range of 265 miles -- the longest range of any production electric vehicle in the world.
"There's been incredibly high demand for this car," Georgeson said.
Superchargers are designed for city-to-city travel, allowing Tesla Model S electric vehicle drivers to travel for about three hours, take a 20-30 minute break, and get back on the road with a full charge.
"Supercharging is that final step to enable people to take road trips, which is that last piece that was missing to get people to adopt electric vehicles, was the ability to drive long distance," Georgeson said.
Supercharger stations are strategically placed to allow owners to drive from station to station with minimal stops.
Stations are located near amenities like the St. Augustine Premium Outlets so drivers can stop for a quick meal or shopping trip while their car is charging.
"Now you can travel just about anywhere you want to go," Georgeson said.
Tesla Motors plans to open another charging station in Savannah, Ga., on Tuesday and will continue to add more throughout the year.