Directly south of the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort sits six free Tesla and universal electric automobile charging stations recently opened to the public.
The chargers’ location along I-40, which is the third longest interstate in the U.S., makes it the perfect spot to experience high-quality entertainment options while charging a vehicle.
“As part of Tesla’s destination charging program, Tesla requires there to be amenities for Tesla owners to use while they’re charging, and the Grand offers so much — gaming, restaurants and the hotel,” said CPN Administrative Research Analyst Ivory Hanson.
Recent car market trends helped Citizen Potawatomi Nation leadership recognize demand and the potential opportunity associated with providing free charging stations.
Electric Drive Transportation Association estimates in the past eight years, U.S. automakers sold more than 700,000 hybrid or electric cars. While these cars amount to only 1 percent of the automobiles sold in the U.S. today, the Bloomberg Electric Vehicle Outlook estimates by 2040, battery-operated vehicles may account for 54 percent of all cars sold.
The chargers serve more than one purpose — they also provide another on-site power source, said Randy Story, CPN electrical director.
“We’ve built a big enough service out there for any of our temporary power that we might need,” Story said. “All the time we’re needing service for ESPN trailers and stuff like that when they have bowling tournaments and other events.
“That’s what we try to do is look down the road of what we may need later,” he said.
Tesla sent CPN wiring and setup information. Story and his team followed the instructions and forwarded Tesla a scope of completed work, ensuring a proper set up.
“The level two Tesla chargers installed can deliver up to 58 miles of range per hour of charging,” Hanson said.
Because Oklahoma does not have a Tesla dealer, project coordinators ensured all electric car owners could utilize these services.
“Right now, we have enough pedestals to put in 12,” Story said. “If we want to put in three more Tesla chargers or three more universals, we can. We’re just trying to figure out what customers will use.”
The free Tesla and electrical charging stations are available 24/7.