The long-awaited Tesla Supercharger in Las Vegas, NV has arrived and now open for business.
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Barstow, CA, the halfway point between Los Angeles to Las Vegas, was one of the earliest sites to have a Tesla Supercharger. But because Las Vegas sits at over 2,000 feet above elevation, a fact that many people don’t realize, traversing the hilly desert freeway requires a much heavier draw on the Model S battery. Moving a 4,600+ pound vehicle up a steep incline, not taking into account the additional weight from passengers and luggage, requires a substantial drain on the lithium-ion battery pack, and can potentially expend four times more energy than it would on trips that encounter little to no uphill travel. Model S owners found themselves reaching Las Vegas with a few miles left on the dashboard even after receiving a healthy charge-up at the Barstow station.
With the new Las Vegas Tesla Supercharger now in operation, owners of the Model S and the upcoming Model X are able to quickly top off the battery and continue on their journey without having to worry about an overnight charge in one of the EV provisioned mega hotels.