The first Tesla Megachargers have arrived at Frito-Lay’s facility in Modesto, California, just in time for the first Tesla Semis to be delivered to PepsiCo later this month.
We first learned this facility was going to be receiving Megachargers when permit applications for their installation were uncovered in May last year.
In November the permit was finally issued, with Tesla beginning construction just a few weeks later.
Another big step in the construction process took place today with the unboxing of the first Megachargers.
In photos taken this afternoon and provided exclusively to Drive Tesla by one of our readers Ben Blackburn, we can see one Megacharger out in the open ready to be installed, with another two still in their packaging.
All of the electrical appears to have been completed, with a bank of 8 Green Line High Efficiency Transformers, Megacharger boxes, and control/breaker cabinets for the system already installed.
A large Megapack battery storage system has also been installed.
Based on the configuration of the Giga Nevada Megachargers, it looks like this one will have 4 stalls once the work has been completed.
Tesla Megacharger Power Output
Tesla has previously said the Megachargers will deliver peak rates of up to 1 megawatt (MW). In what is becoming a familiar pattern, the automaker seems to have sandbagged that estimate.
According to information provided to Drive Tesla, the Megachargers will actually charge at up 1.5MW, 50% higher than originally anticipated.
Delivering that much power generates a lot of heat, so in order to keep things manageable the system will use new immersion cooling technology, the exact details of which couldn’t be shared at this time.
PepsiCo Tesla Semi Deliveries
PepsiCo surprised everyone with a press release in March 2021 saying they were going be taking delivery of 15 Tesla Semis before the end of the year.
Then in November PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta reiterated the position, even though Tesla had said production of the Semi had been delayed until 2023 due to supply constraints.
After receiving these photos we were able to confirm with one of our sources that PepsiCo has been told all 15 Tesla Semis are still on schedule to be delivered before the end of January.
Tesla has been manufacturing them since early December at Giga Nevada. Two brand new Semis were spotted outside the factory this week.
