Tesla unveils its largest Supercharger station in the US — and it kind of looks like a truck stop

About halfway between Los Angeles and the Bay Area, right off Interstate 5, is the tiny town of Kettleman City. It’s home to a cheese factory, a hazardous waste facility, and as of today, the largest Tesla Supercharger station in the country. It has solar rooftops and a lounger for vehicle owners to hang out while their Tesla car recharges. And if you look closely, you’ll notice that the layout of the station mimics a truck stop, which sure is interesting when you consider that Tesla is unveiling its first semi truck this evening.

While the Kettlemen station isn’t the largest in the world — that honor goes to the 50-stall Supercharger station currently under construction in Shanghai — it certainly represents a departure for Tesla. The company recently hinted that it was interested in building bigger charging stations with retail and convenience stores attached. Yep, Tesla wants to build gas stations (minus the gas, of course).

Another large station is being planned for Baker, California, in between LA and Las Vegas, according to Electrek (which also has a bunch more photos of the Kettlemen station). A closer look reveals that Tesla has included conveniences like a coffee shop and some outdoor seating. So people can grab an espresso and take in the desert air while they wait for their Model S to top off.

It could also be a great place for a Tesla semi to stop for a recharge. The company’s current network of Superchargers weren’t designed with 18-wheeled vehicles in mind, so it makes sense that Tesla is thinking about how to build larger stations in advance of rolling out its new truck.