Pilot and Tesla open their first truck charging stop in Georgia

Pilot and Tesla (TSLA) have opened their first joint truck charging site in Ellabell, Georgia, with six stalls ready for Tesla Semis, Pilot announced. For drivers, Pilot says it adds somewhere to recharge at a travel center with the services they use on the road, although Tesla says other brands of electric truck can't use its Megachargers yet.

Shannon Sturgil, Pilot’s senior vice president of alternative fuels, described the aim as pairing charging with “the services and amenities drivers rely on.” Tesla’s instructions put that idea into practical terms: drivers can leave their trailer attached while charging, though most Megacharger sites require them to back in. Charging starts when they plug in, and the fleet handles payment through its business account.

The time spent parked is the next part of the story. Tesla says its chargers can replenish up to 60% of a Semi’s battery in 30 minutes. That's an advertised capability, rather than a measured result from Ellabell. Tesla says the actual pace depends on the battery’s temperature, its starting charge and whether another truck is using the same Megacharger.

The opening follows a wait beyond Pilot’s original target. When the companies announced their partnership on January 27, 2026, Pilot expected the first sites to open that summer; its October 8, 2026, announcement identifies Ellabell as the first. Neither announcement explains why the first opening followed the summer target. Pilot says more locations are under construction, with Tulare, California, Fort Stockton, Texas, and North Las Vegas, Nevada, nearing completion.

Tulare is scheduled to open October 9, 2026, making it the next test of Pilot’s rollout. Tesla says its Megachargers remain restricted to Tesla trucks.