Arizona’s tourism economy could get a boost next year from the electric-vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors. The company is opening a supercharging station in Quartzsite with six more coming soon around the state.
Ray Hagerman with Four Corners Economic Development says the idea is to locate the centers near restaurants and shopping centers, in areas where Tesla owners will spend some money as they wait for their vehicles to charge.
"People plug in and they charge,” Hagerman said. “An hour later the charge is done. But the idea is, it's within walking distance to go to dinner or something like that, or go do some shopping and wait for the charge to get done."
Tesla plans to open supercharging stations in the next few months near Buckeye, Flagstaff, Gila Bend, Winslow and Yuma, with two more expected later in 2014.