TESLA’S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET ON CALIFORNIA’S I-5:

The Harris Ranch Tesla Supercharger has a couple of things going for it that have made it a part of Tesla enthusiasts’ lore: It’s one of the electric car giant’s first Supercharger stations, and with 98 charging bays, it’s also the biggest in the world.

The Central California charging station is such a big deal that Tesla clubs even make it an appointment destination. Yes, they’ll rally-style drive to it just to honor its lineage and size.

But as with many Tesla-related things, there is a secret, thinly obscured by an Oz-like curtain, at the Harris Ranch Supercharger. Hidden in plain sight across the way from the Harris Ranch Supercharger’s main stations, behind a Shell station, is a small diesel plant that has helped power Tesla’s footprint.

To be fair, that’s pretty consistent with Tesla’s overall strategy: When the Going Gets Tough, the Electric go Petrol. Electric car-maker Tesla isn’t taking any range risks in Australia with their support vehicles. When they need to repair their breakdown-prone plug buggies, Tesla use reliable, petrol-powered Mitsubishis.