Saturday, December 2, 2023

Tesla Gallery and Charging Stations Sparking Interest in Southlake Town Square

Southlake Town Square is charged and ready to welcome Tesla enthusiasts. The new Tesla gallery, a show room for the electric car manufacturer, opened on September 23 in a roughly 4,500 square foot space across from the Apple Store. A 10-spot Supercharger station will open later this fall in the west parking lot near Carroll Avenue.

Southlake makes the eighth gallery location in Texas for the California-based automaker, which also has more than 100 gallery and store locations across the country. According to a Tesla spokesperson, the new gallery opening will better serve the increased interest in Tesla vehicles in the region, further connecting Texas communities to the company’s mission of a sustainable energy future.

Although franchise dealer laws restrict Tesla from selling directly to buyers in Texas, gallery visitors can still learn about Tesla’s electric vehicles, visit with highly knowledgeable on-site staff, and can even enjoy test drives of the Model S and Model X to understand the many benefits of Tesla ownership. Prospective buyers can order a vehicle online or talk on the phone with Tesla employees in California.

According to Tesla Model S owner and Southlake resident Rick Bollar, there are several reasons for owning a Tesla—conservation and energy security, air quality, not being dependent on gas fuel, and performance (without engine noise)—all included with a 250-mile range.

“This range lets us do anything we want in the metroplex without considering ‘range anxiety.’ I often drive from Southlake to Dallas to Fort Worth to Southlake, and still have enough charge left to do the same drive a second time,” stated Bollar.

After acquiring his second Model S in Seattle, Bollar even turned the experience into a cross-country vacation through western Canada and the United States, making use of Tesla’s network of Superchargers, before returning to Texas.

Southlake Town Square currently has six public chargers for all electric vehicles, but will soon join the network of Tesla Supercharger stations with 10 Tesla-installed chargers. Texas residents currently have access to 29 Supercharger stations in the state, most placed along main highways. According to Tesla, the Supercharger Network is designed to be the fastest, most convenient, and extensive charging network in the world.

Aside from serving local and regional Tesla owners, the Southlake Supercharger station will also serve long-distance travelers who may not have otherwise stopped in Southlake, which is one of few locations in Texas to offer attractions within walking distance from chargers.

“Southlake is the perfect destination for visitors to stop and enjoy shopping, dining and entertainment while charging their vehicles. Tesla owners can even drop by the gallery to visit with staff about new software updates for their cars,” said City of Southlake Senior Marketing Manager Jill Lind.

EV Charging Stations Now in Town Square

The City of Southlake is now home to an electric vehicle (EV) charging station in Southlake Town Square.

The charging station is located on the bottom floor of the West parking garage next to the Grand Avenue entrance (east side). Through a partnership with TXU Energy, the City was awarded a ChargePoint charging station for two parking spaces.

The charging station, a Level 2 dual head EV charging station, is a single unit with connectors which allows two vehicles to be charged simultaneously. It charges at a maximum rate of 25 RPH (miles of Range Per Hour), and stations can fully charge some vehicles in less than four hours.

Nearly all cars currently on the market are compatible with the ChargePoint chargers.

Providing electrical charging stations around the City is a Tier 1 project in the Southlake 2030 Mobility Master Plan. The City also plans on providing EV charging stations at The Marq Southlake with the completion of the Phase 2 construction.