Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) and Ruby Tuesday announced a partnership to open a series of Supercharger stations at the latter’s locations along important routes. This news follows Tesla’s acknowledgment of being in talks with restaurant chains and gas stations about expanding its Supercharger network.
Win-win for both
Earlier this month, the EV firm opened a trial Supercharger in a Ruby Tuesday parking lot in Miner, Missouri. Now Ruby Tuesday will help the automaker setup a series of Supercharger stations at its restaurant locations. It is not certain how many of the chain’s 729 locations around the U.S. will have a Supercharger.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Tesla Motors to offer our guests a place where they can charge their Tesla vehicle while enjoying a delicious meal. Expanding the Supercharger network to include Ruby Tuesday is good for both Tesla owners and our restaurants alike. We look forward to deepening our relationship with Tesla and opening additional Supercharger Stations in Ruby Tuesday markets around the country in the near future,” said Ruby Tuesday’s chief marketing officer, David Skena.
Tesla’s new hardware is capable of providing enough power in less than 30 minutes for some models to travel 170 miles. The 30 minutes are extremely valuable for businesses to get drivers’ attention. In the case of Ruby Tuesday, for instance, drivers can stop for something to eat. This opportunity is so valuable that some businesses are now contributing to the energy costs associated with the Superchargers at some locations.
Tesla aggressively expanding Supercharging stations
Tesla’s Superchargers are designed for long-distance travel, and many already span major transit routes through the U.S. The automaker confirmed earlier this week that it is in talks with chains like Ruby Tuesday about the placement of Superchargers in gas stations.
The automaker also said it is securing key roadside locations to make cross-country drives less difficult for Tesla drivers. Earlier this week, there were reports that the EV firm was in talks with Altoona-based gas station and convenience store chain Sheerz to put its Superchargers at its locations across the U.S.
Tesla declared plans to double its Supercharger network within the next two years to support its expanding fleet of cars. The automaker currently operates more than 650 Supercharger stations with around 4,000 Supercharger stalls worldwide.
On Thursday, Tesla shares closed up 0.99% at $212.28. Year to date, the stock is down almost 11%, while in the last year, it is down almost 21%. The stock has a 52-week high of $286.65 and a 52-week low of $141.05.
