The long-promised announcement from Tesla Motors on expansion of its Supercharger network has been delayed by the company's billion-dollar fundraising, and this week's payoff of its entire Department of Energy loan.
But Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] still plans a rapid expansion of the network of fast-charging stations for its Model S electric cars.
Currently there are just nine Supercharger stations, six in California and three along the Northeast Corridor from Boston through New York City to Washington, D.C.
Now we've learned that the network will expand into the Midwest.
At least four stations will be installed in Normal, Illinois, the electric-car friendly town known for its dozens of Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric minicars. (There's a Mitsubishi plant in Normal.)
According to Pantagraph, up to 10 Supercharger stations will be located in the municipal parking deck.
On Monday, May 6, the Normal City Council voted 5-2 to approve a five-year lease with Tesla Motors, with two five-year extensions possible.
Tesla will pay all costs of installing and maintaining its charging stations.
Under its EV Town initiative, Normal is moving aggressively to install infrastructure for electric cars, offer purchase incentives, promote their advantages, and otherwise demonstrate what a community can do to integrate plug-in electric cars into its everyday life.
Rumors about Tesla's upcoming Supercharger announcement--postponed from last week, per a tweet from CEO Elon Musk--indicate that the company may announce that up to 100 stations will be opened before the end of this year.
Other locations known to be slated for installations include more in the Northeast, plus new stations in the Pacific Northwest, Texas, and Florida.
______________________________________________
