Is it time for a Tesla Supercharging station in Milton?

The lack of a dedicated supercharger station in Milton has some Tesla owners upset and confused.

And although there are Tesla superchargers in Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington, many feel slighted that one of the fastest-growing communities in the country, with a population of more than 150,000, is left without one.

A Facebook user wrote, “Sometimes it’s not possible to stop on your way in Mississauga for 45 minutes to charge, especially for people who are working in hospitals etc. It would have been more convenient if we could have one in Milton. Planning does not work for people who have very tight schedules.”

Tesla was asked to comment on this story but has not responded to inhalton.com.

A website called ChargeHub shows there are about 50 electric vehicle charging stations in Milton.

ChargeHub map showing EV charging stations in Milton.

Is the federal government doing anything about it?

Adam van Koeverden, Milton MP, said the government encourages EV charging stations across the country, but can’t force a private company to build one.

“Ultimately, this is an Elon question over a government question,” he said.

So why is a Tesla-specific one needed?

According to a Tesla driver we spoke with, there are a number of reasons.

“First, it’s much, much quicker to charge a Tesla at a dedicated station, the difference between an hour and 15 minutes or so.”

But don’t Tesla owners have home chargers?

“Many do, but with the condo boom coming to Milton, there are going to be people who won’t have access at their home.”

In addition, the price continues to drop and used Teslas can be found online starting around $25,000, making them more affordable.

“I really do wish we had a supercharger. The one on Hwy. 401 and Winston Churchill in Mississauga is too small and always has a line up during rush hours. The ideal location would be off Hwy. 401 and Regional Road 25 or Hwy. 401 and James Snow Pkwy.,” wrote a Reddit user.

Milton stands out as not having a Tesla Supercharging station.

A spokesperson for the Town of Milton said an application from Tesla isn’t something that would necessarily start at the municipal level. It would need to go through federal and provincial regulatory bodies as well as operators of utilities.