Where this applies: the charging habits apply on any trip. The corridor and toll sections are split by metro. The distance table below is measured from Dallas–Fort Worth; we have not yet checked distances between the other metros.
Common trips from DFW
| From DFW to | Roughly | Typical plan |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | about 195 miles | Often one short stop, or none in a long-range car |
| Oklahoma City | about 205 miles | One short stop |
| Houston | about 240 miles | One stop |
| San Antonio | about 275 miles | One or two stops |
These are rough highway distances. Your actual plan depends on the car, the speed, the temperature and the wind.
The Texas fast-charging corridors
Under the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, Texas has $323 million for fiscal years 2022 to 2026 to build fast chargers along designated highways, with site developers paying 20%. In January 2026, the Federal Highway Administration certified Texas's designated corridors as fully built out. That certification counts NEVI stations at every stage, from open to awarded, together with 374 other fast-charging stations that already met the minimum standard of four or more ports at 150 kW.
Around DFW
Designated routes through DFW include I-20, I-30, I-35, I-35E, I-35W, I-45, I-635, I-820 and US-75. On TxDOT's list, these open NEVI stations are the ones closest to DFW:
| Station | Highway | Ports and power (TxDOT list) |
|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | I-35 north | 12 ports, up to 250 kW |
| Santo | I-20 west at US 281 | 8 ports, up to 400 kW, pull-through bays for trailers |
| Fort Worth | I-30 | 4 ports, up to 180 kW |
| Van | I-20 east | 4 ports, up to 320 kW |
| Mt. Pleasant | I-30 east | 4 ports, up to 180 kW |
Most NEVI sites on the list have both CCS plugs (the fast-charging plug most other brands have used) and NACS plugs (the Tesla plug), and a few keep a NACS adapter behind the counter. Some stretches still show NEVI sites in planning, including I-35 at Waco and Hillsboro, I-45 at Corsicana and Hutchins, I-30 at Mesquite and Greenville, I-20 at Terrell and I-35W at Northlake. Tesla and other networks already serve those routes.
Around Houston
TxDOT's January 2026 certification list includes Houston-area stations on I-10 (Sealy, Brookshire, Katy, Houston, Baytown), I-45 (La Marque, League City, Houston, Spring, Shenandoah, Conroe), I-69 (Sugar Land, Stafford, Houston, Humble, New Caney) and I-610. On that list, none of the Houston-area NEVI-funded stations had opened yet; the existing stations already met the standard. More on the Houston page.
Around Austin
The same list shows open Tesla fast-charging sites on I-35 in Georgetown, Round Rock, Austin and Kyle, plus eVgo and Electrify America sites. A NEVI site at San Marcos is in planning. Heading east on I-10, it shows open sites in Seguin, Schulenburg and Columbus. More on the Austin page.
Around San Antonio
I-10, I-35 and I-37 meet in San Antonio, and all three are designated corridors. In October 2026, TxDOT's NEVI map showed open stations at Selma (I-35 northeast), Natalia (I-35 southwest), Sandy Oaks (I-37 south), Three Rivers (I-37) and Kerrville (I-10 west). The corridor list also counts Tesla Superchargers on the routes out of town, including New Braunfels, Natalia, Pleasanton and Luling. More on the San Antonio page.
Station counts move quickly, and TxDOT's own pages disagree: a May 2026 article said 15 of 65 first-phase sites were open, while its planning page listed 22 open stations in October 2026. In April 2026, the Texas Transportation Commission approved about $250 million for a second phase of 147 stations aimed at county seats and metro areas. Check the map in your car or app before you leave rather than relying on any list.
Using Superchargers well
Tesla publishes "up to" figures for how many miles each model adds in 15 minutes of Supercharging:
| Model | Miles in 15 minutes (Tesla, up to) |
|---|---|
| Model S | 200 |
| Model 3 | 175 |
| Model X | 175 |
| Model Y | 162 |
| Cybertruck | 137 |
- Navigate to the charger in the car. Tesla suggests using Trip Planner for 30 to 45 minutes before a Supercharger stop so the battery arrives at the right temperature. In extreme heat the car may prepare the battery without showing the usual message.
- Several short stops beat one long one. Charging is fastest at low and middle charge levels.
- Watch the 80% cap. Tesla notes the car may limit charging to 80% at busy sites; you can raise it after plugging in if you need it.
- Check the price. Some sites charge different rates at peak and off-peak times, and congestion fees can apply.
- Have a backup. Know a second charging site, and carry the right adapter if you might use a non-Tesla charger.
What powers the car does not matter; who is in it does.
Driving a non-Tesla EV?
NACS (North American Charging Standard), the Tesla plug, is the same standard as SAE J3400. Tesla runs three kinds of Supercharger sites: Tesla-only; "All EVs" sites with a built-in Magic Dock adapter; and NACS sites open to other brands carmaker by carmaker. Tesla lists more than twenty brands with access, including Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, Rivian, Toyota and Volkswagen. Drivers of those cars start sessions in the Tesla app, need an adapter from their own carmaker unless the car has a NACS port, and can buy a membership to get Tesla-owner pricing.
Summer trips
Heat and headwinds cost range, so leave more buffer in July and August and on windy days. FuelEconomy.gov says air conditioning is the main reason efficiency drops in hot weather. Pre-cool the car while it is still plugged in before you leave. The Texas heat guide has the details.
Tolls and managed lanes
If your route out of town uses toll roads or managed lanes, know this first: in none of the four metros did we find an EV-specific discount. What powers the car does not matter; who is in it does.
DFW
- TEXpress carpool discount: carpools (a driver plus at least one passenger) and motorcycles get 50% off during weekday peak hours, 6:30 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6:30 p.m.
- To get it, you need a TollTag, TxTag or EZ Tag and must register the trip in the GoCarma app.
- DFW TEXpress corridors include the NTE (I-820, SH 183/121 and I-35W), LBJ (I-635), I-30, I-35E, SH 114, SH 183 and Loop 12. I-635 East is due in late 2026. Southern Gateway (I-35E/US 67) is toll-free.
Houston
- METRO HOV/HOT lanes on I-45, US 59/I-69 and US 290 reserve weekday peak windows for carpools; US 290 needs three people in the morning window. Outside those windows, solo drivers can use the toll lane with a valid tag.
- Fort Bend toll roads take electronic tags only (EZ TAG, TxTag or TollTag), with no cash and no pay-by-mail.
- The Grand Parkway (SH 99) is split between Fort Bend County and TxDOT operators, and TxDOT asks for a prepaid tag account.
Austin
- Toll roads are run by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (183A, 290 Toll, the MoPac Express Lane, 71 Toll Lane, 45SW and 183 Toll), by TxDOT (including SH 130 from Georgetown to southeast Austin) and, on SH 130 south toward Seguin, by a private company.
- On the mobility authority's roads, tag users pay a third less than Pay By Mail. On TxDOT's Austin roads, drivers without a tag pay 50% more.
- SH 130 is a popular way around I-35 traffic, but higher speeds use more range, so plan charging stops with that in mind.
San Antonio
- The metro has almost no toll roads. VIA's HOV lanes on US 281 and I-10 West are free and open 24 hours a day with two or more people in the car; driving an EV does not exempt a solo driver.
- You need a TxTag only if you leave town on a toll road such as SH 130 from I-10 at Seguin toward Austin.
At the destination
Hotels with destination chargers save time; filter for them when booking. A 240 V outlet adapter for the Mobile Connector is useful at family homes and lake houses. See home charging for what each outlet adds per hour, and the accessory finder for travel gear. Before a long trip, check your VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup so nothing open catches you away from home.
Sources
- TxDOT, Texas electric vehicle planning (NEVI funding, open stations) (checked October 2026)
- TxDOT, FHWA fully built-out certification and station list (January 2026) (checked October 2026)
- TxDOT, Transportation Commission April 2026 (Phase II) (checked October 2026)
- Tesla, Supercharging (miles in 15 minutes, 80% cap) (checked October 2026)
- Tesla, Supercharging for other EVs (checked October 2026)
- Tesla Model Y owner's manual, hot weather (Trip Planner preconditioning) (checked October 2026)
- FuelEconomy.gov, hot weather driving (checked October 2026)
- TxDOT, TEXpress lanes (checked October 2026)
- METRO Houston, HOV/HOT express lanes, Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority and TxDOT, Grand Parkway tolls (checked October 2026)
- Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, toll FAQs and TxDOT, Austin-area toll roads (checked October 2026)
- VIA Metropolitan Transit, HOV lanes (checked October 2026)
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