Tesla owners driving between San Francisco and Los Angeles can now take a break while recharging their cars. CNBC took a drive down to Kettleman City, California, to check out Tesla's first charging station with a lounge.
The Kettleman City location has 40 high-speed chargers and the rest area is open 24/7. To get in, you need a code that is displayed on the car's navigation system, so lounge access is restricted to Tesla owners. During business hours, visitors can recharge with a coffee from Tesla's espresso bar or grab a snack from the vending machines. Options include Ludicrous Mode (double espresso shot) and Autopilot (barista's choice). Visitors can also purchase Tesla merchandise including t-shirts, hats, jackets and even a Tesla Supercharger phone charger.
A glass wall separates the coffee bar from another room with sofa chairs, little cubbies and rest rooms. Free Wifi is available throughout the building.
In a tweet earlier this month, Elon Musk talked about building another station in LA with a restaurant attached:
Tesla currently has 1,130 charging stations worldwide. If the company keeps latching on amenities, perhaps the stations could become a destination rather than just a pit stop.