A new Tesla charging station is coming to Wilmington. Here's where and why.

Gareth McGrath
·3 min read
4
Tesla's new Supercharger station seen under construction at Lowes Foods at North College and Murrayville roads in Northern New Hanover County.
Tesla's new Supercharger station seen under construction at Lowes Foods at North College and Murrayville roads in Northern New Hanover County.

A new Tesla Supercharger station is coming to the Wilmington area, making it the company's third charging station in Southeastern North Carolina.

But its location might not be the first Port City neighborhood that comes to mind when people think of electric vehicles (EVs).

For EV advocates, however, the added charging capacity provided by the station and its prime location is another opportunity to fill in the charging "deserts" in the state. Surveys show range anxiety, highlighted by concerns over where to charge on long trips and in rural areas, along with high vehicle prices remain the biggest hurdles to more drivers switching to EVs.

SPARKING A CHANGE Will 2023 be the year the electric vehicle hits the fast lane in North Carolina?

Where are the new Superchargers going?

The new station, which will include 12 chargers, is under construction in the parking lot of the Lowes Foods at North College and Murrayville roads.

There are 10 Tesla Superchargers at Mayfaire Town Center in Wilmington. The station, the first in the Port City, was built in 2017.
There are 10 Tesla Superchargers at Mayfaire Town Center in Wilmington. The station, the first in the Port City, was built in 2017.

The site is less than half-mile from the end of Interstate 40 at Gordon Road, which is sure to appeal to Tesla drivers heading to or from New Hanover County's beaches. And for Lowes, they might stop in to grab some groceries while their cars are charging.

"These stations are about making that usage convenient, whether a person is on their way to the beach or a typical shopping trip near home," said Lowes spokesperson Kelly Davis via email, adding that it will the company's sixth charging station with plans to open seven more in North Carolina in the next year or so. "The stations allow our guests to charge their EVs in a safe and clean environment while they are in our store or a nearby shop or restaurant."

Do charging stations drive business?

Wilmington's first Supercharger station was built at Mayfaire Town Center in 2017 and has proven popular with customers and business owners, said Paige Coniglio, marketing manager for the shopping center on Military Cutoff Road.

MORE As EV sales in NC hit the fast lane, how is Wilmington doing?

"The electric vehicle charging stations have led to increased foot traffic, longer customer stays, and potential sales," she said, adding that Mayfaire intends to add nine new charging stations that will be open to all EVs behind World Market.

Where are the region's other Tesla charging stations?

Along with Mayfaire, the Wilmington area's other Supercharger station is at Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q in Leland, Brunswick County.

A bit farther afield, Tesla also has Superchargers in Wallace and Warsaw in Duplin County and the Smithfield's in Jacksonville.

The Smithfield's restaurant in Leland has 12 Tesla Superchargers in its parking lot.
The Smithfield's restaurant in Leland has 12 Tesla Superchargers in its parking lot.

Quick charging stations that are open to all EVs, although they generally don't charge as quickly as Tesla's, also are starting to proliferate across the region, including at city-run parking decks in downtown Wilmington.

According to the N.C. Department of Transportation, there were roughly 1,400 electric and plug-in hybrids registered in New Hanover County and nearly 61,000 EVs and plug-in hybrids in North Carolina as of March.

Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from 1Earth Fund and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full  editorial control of the work.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Tesla Superchargers coming to Lowes Foods in Wilmington