Tesla opens first charging station in China with energy storage facilities

BEIJING: Electric-vehicle maker Tesla Inc said today it has opened its first charging station in China with its own solar and energy storage facilities.

The charging station in Lhasa city will generate power from sunlight and store it in the energy storage facilities for electric vehicles to charge, the company said in a Weibo post.

Tesla moved into the solar business in 2016 with its US$2.6 billion purchase of California-based SolarCity, and has said it is keen to develop its energy business.

The company's solar services include Solar Roof, a power generating system meant to look like normal roof tiles, and Powerwall, which can store power generated by solar panels.

Last year, Tesla, which is making electric vehicles in Shanghai, put out job ads for solar and energy storage project managers in China.