Pilot Opens First Tesla Megacharger in Georgia, With 12 More Coming
Pilot’s First Tesla Megacharger Opens at Georgia Travel Center, With 12 More Planned
Pilot and Tesla have opened their first Tesla Megacharger site at a Pilot travel center, launching a heavy-duty electric truck charging network at select locations along major U.S. freight corridors.
The site opened October 8 at Pilot #1390, located at 130 Interstate Exchange Way in Ellabell, Georgia. The facility has six heavy-duty charging stalls designed for the Tesla Semi and other electric trucking operations that may use the network.
According to Pilot and Tesla, the chargers can deliver up to 1.2 megawatts of power. That output allows a Tesla Semi to recover approximately 60% of its battery charge in 30 minutes, the companies said.
For professional drivers and fleets, the Ellabell opening places high-powered truck charging at a travel center rather than at a standalone industrial site. Pilot said the charging locations are intended to be paired with the services and amenities available at its travel centers, giving electric truck operators a location to recharge while also accessing typical driver facilities.
“Pilot is proud to bring heavy-duty charging directly to key trucking routes and pair it with the services and amenities drivers rely on,” Shannon Sturgil, Pilot’s senior vice president of alternative fuels, said in a company announcement. “With these initial locations, we’re making fleet electrification a more accessible option for long-haul transportation and are excited to continue working with Tesla to move at the pace and preference of our customers.”
The Ellabell location is the first completed site in a larger rollout. Pilot said 12 additional heavy-duty charging locations are under construction, with three nearing completion and expected to open soon.
- Flying J #1071, 979 E. Paige Ave., Tulare, California. The location is scheduled to open October 9, 2026.
- Flying J #553, 2571 N. Front St., Fort Stockton, Texas.
- Pilot #341, 3812 E. Craig Road, North Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pilot and Tesla previously announced plans for a network of Megachargers along Interstate 5, Interstate 10 and other major freight routes. The planned locations span California, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada and Texas.
The network is aimed at supporting the development of heavy-duty electric trucking by placing charging equipment where long-haul freight already moves. The locations identified by Pilot include major corridors serving the West, Southwest and Southeast, although the company has not provided opening dates for all 12 sites under construction.
The Ellabell site also provides an early look at how charging could be incorporated into the existing travel center model. Diesel truck stops have traditionally served as refueling and rest locations, while high-power electric charging requires substantial electrical infrastructure and longer dwell times than conventional fueling. The Megacharger installation gives Pilot and Tesla a location to begin operating heavy-duty charging equipment within an established trucking environment.
Charging availability remains an important consideration for fleets evaluating electric trucks, particularly for long-haul routes. A charging site’s location, power capacity and number of stalls can affect trip planning and vehicle utilization. The six-stall configuration in Ellabell gives multiple trucks access to the facility, while the stated charging rate is intended to limit the time a Tesla Semi spends out of service for recharging.
Pilot operates one of North America’s largest travel center networks. By adding Megachargers at selected stores, the company is positioning its locations as part of the infrastructure available to fleets transitioning some operations to battery-electric trucks. The partnership with Tesla will initially focus on the locations identified in the rollout plan and the freight corridors they serve.
The Ellabell station is now open, while the remaining sites will become available as construction is completed and the chargers are brought online.
