Tesla supercharger station in Sutherlin celebrates grand opening

The supercharger station, which was selected as the site due to the city being located at the approximate halfway point between Seattle and the Bay Area in California, is the largest in Oregon.

“I think it’s a wonderful addition to our city,” said Sutherlin mayor Michelle Sumner. “We’ve been working really hard to enhance our downtown area…so that people from outside the area know we’re here. This is a place that people can stop and see what we have to offer here.”

“I’m so thankful that Tesla felt that Sutherlin was a great community to put their biggest spot for charging [in Oregon], and we’re so privileged to partner with them,” she added. “We’re just excited for it to succeed.”

According to data from the U.S. Department of Energy, as of Dec. 31, 2021, there are 30,290 electric vehicles registered across the state of Oregon. The state has the 12th highest number of electric vehicles registered in the country.

Tesla owners came to the supercharger from Eugene, Portland and Washington state, bringing together enthusiasts to celebrate the newly added chargers.

“People who are trying to save money on cars should really be looking at electric vehicles. Not only that, they’re fun to drive,” said Phil Barnhart. “I’m sitting at the stoplight, next to me is a ‘vroom, vroom,’ a Mustang or something. I’m sitting in my Nissan Leaf, and I can outrun him for the first 25 miles an hour.

Barnhart is the head of the Emerald Valley Electric Vehicle Association based in Eugene, an organization he said is dedicated to educating the public about electric vehicles. He also served as a state representative in Oregon House District 11, located in Linn County, for nearly two decades.

Multiple members of the Emerald Valley Electric Vehicle Association were present at the event, including Richard Reed, a retired flooring installer from Eugene who has been driving electric cars for years.

“I started for environmental causes, for making the world a better place for my children,” Reed said. He has three children. “It’s not a big difference for me, but I sure love being able to not be a part of destroying the environment.”

Many of the Tesla owners came from areas outside of Douglas County, and had only driven through Sutherlin in the past, never stopping in the city until now.

“Having a station like this keeps us relevant,” said Jessica Batchelor, the executive director of the Sutherlin Area Chamber of Commerce. “It keeps us appropriate to the times, to the visitors coming through, and for the locals. We intend to really dig into some EV tourism, and really elevate our community.”

Batchelor said the Chamber of Commerce has plans to partner with the city to develop additional projects in an effort to entice visitors using the charging station to spend more time in the area.

“I think it’s way outside of the comfort zone of a lot of people in Douglas County, because we’re not a county that necessarily supports EVs,” said Virgle Osborne, the Oregon State Representative for District 2, which includes the city of Sutherlin. “I think it’s a huge step in the right direction for bringing business and commerce to Douglas County, particularly to Sutherlin.

“It is what’s happening in the state right now, the future is going to be electric vehicles. As much as we might not really want to embrace the change, the change is coming, so it’s better to be the leader in it than following everybody else.”

The supercharger station is located at 116 Clover Leaf Loop in Sutherlin.