The longest Supercharger route in the world exists now. If you’ve been itching to drive your Tesla 3,000 miles but were concerned about a lack of chargers, you can finally fulfill your dreams (as long as you live in China). Tesla’s Supercharger route runs loosely along the Silk Road and will give drivers the opportunity to see loads of beautiful scenery and history.

How long will the longest Supercharger route be?

For starters, Tesla’s Supercharger route will be an astonishing 3,100 miles long, according to Bloomberg. It will traverse China from east to west. 27 Superchargers, which are Tesla’s electric vehicle chargers, will be spread out. This will allow drivers to drive great lengths without having to worry about running out of power. 

Teslas are incredibly popular in China, though they’ve faced recent setbacks. In 2020, Tesla sales in China doubled from 2019. In March of 2021 alone, Tesla sold 35,478 cars according to CNBC, though that number dropped to just 25,845 in April. Tesla is facing criticisms in China due to questions about their safety. Teslas have also been banned from government property, such as military bases.

Is there still a market for Teslas?

Despite this, there is a market for electric vehicles, and Tesla is determined to deliver. This new Supercharger route should help to combat range anxiety. Range anxiety is the fear of not being able to recharge one’s vehicle and being stuck somewhere. It’s one of the main reasons that people considering switching to electric vehicles don’t make the change. 

These 27 Superchargers in one long stretch will give drivers not only more charging options, but the motivation to want to take a long road trip in their Tesla. Charging stations will be spread out roughly every 100-300 km (or 62-186 miles). In total, China has about 840 charging stations in China. Although charging time varies per vehicle and conditions like the weather, it takes approximately 20 minutes to charge a Tesla to 50%. 

What cities are in the world’s longest Supercharger route?

Elon Musk’s ultimate goal is to build a charging route from Shanghai to London. This would cover 6,000 miles. Although there are Superchargers in some areas of this route, more are needed in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.

Tesla’s Supercharger route runs along the Silk Road. The Silk Road is famous for having been a major trade route connecting China to the West. The Silk Road carried not just goods (including, of course, silk), but also ideas and inventions. 

The current 5,000 km Silk Road Supercharger route will incorporate nine cities. It begins in the east coast city of Zhoushan and then continues west. Along the way, Tesla drivers (and any passengers lucky enough to come along) can see the Kumtag Desert, the Turfan Volcano, and Sayram Lake. It ends in Horgos, bordering Kazakhstan on the west. 

It’s possible that Tesla has incorporated so much history into its new Supercharger route to try to regain their image in China. It will be interesting to see whether this new access to charging stations improves Tesla’s sales in China, or at least encourages people to take a road trip.