Hilton and Tesla Are Set to Revolutionize the EV Road Trip—Here’s What to Expect

When planning an electric vehicle (EV) road trip, charging overnight at your hotel is one of the simplest and most efficient methods. However, locating hotels along your route that offer charging facilities can be a challenge. Hilton aims to change this by partnering with Tesla to install 20,000 new charging stations across its North American locations, helping to alleviate range anxiety for EV drivers on the go.

The charging stations, referred to as Tesla Universal Wall Connectors, will cater to both Tesla and non-Tesla EVs. Starting in 2024, Hilton plans to set up six chargers at each of around 2,000 properties in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, effectively more than doubling the number of Hilton hotels with charging options.

This is a significant undertaking, especially since the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center estimated that, as of March 2023, there are roughly 51,000 public EV charging stations across the country, with California hosting over 14,000 of them.

This substantial investment in hotel-based charging stations comes as Hilton reports an increase in travelers seeking EV charging options, as evidenced by the rising number of searches on Hilton.com for hotels with charging facilities. Furthermore, these searches are translating into actual bookings, according to Hilton.

Under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. aims to establish a national network of 500,000 EV chargers across cities and highways, with EVs projected to comprise at least 50% of new car sales by 2030. In February 2023, the White House revealed that Tesla would start opening its charging network to non-Tesla EVs, making at least 7,500 chargers accessible to all EV drivers by the end of 2024. These chargers can be found through the Tesla app or website.

This commitment has been further solidified by a new agreement with Hilton.

Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s senior director of charging infrastructure, emphasized, “By installing charging facilities at popular locations like Hilton hotels, EV owners can charge their vehicles where they park, eliminating unnecessary stops for refueling during their travels.”

Currently, more than 1,850 Hilton locations worldwide already feature EV charging stations, with 80% of these located in North America. Hilton informs Dinogo that all new U.S. hotels under their all-suite brands, including Embassy Suites by Hilton and Home2Suites by Hilton, are required to include EV charging stations.

Regarding which Hilton properties will receive the new charging stations, Hilton has stated that it is collaborating with Tesla to identify suitable locations for the installations, which are anticipated to cover their entire brand portfolio.

Travelers planning an EV road trip can find Hilton hotels equipped with charging stations by visiting Hilton.com.