Hotel Installs 68 EV Chargers in California City

Imagine pulling into a hotel and having a 50-50 chance of parking right at a charger instead of hunting for one of three spots or driving elsewhere to charge.

That's becoming reality at the new Woodspring Suites opening in Manteca, California. The 122-room extended-stay hotel is installing 68 electric vehicle chargers, covering half of all parking spaces at the four-story building on Atherton Drive and Airport Way.

The setup eliminates a common frustration for EV drivers: waiting for limited chargers to open up or leaving the hotel to charge elsewhere. With 68 chargers available, guests can simply park and plug in like it's no big deal.

The hotel becomes Manteca's largest EV charging location, joining a growing network across the city. Tesla Supercharger stations dot intersections near Sizzler's, Bass Pro, and Target. Manteca Crossing shopping center added two dozen chargers, while Orchard Valley offers more options near Valley Fitness.

This infrastructure boom isn't random. Manteca's city council adopted a climate action plan targeting 20 percent electric vehicle adoption by 2030 and 55 percent by 2045. The plan requires new commercial and residential projects to include EV chargers.

The city exceeded its 2030 goal early, already installing more than five freestanding charging stations citywide. New apartment complexes now include chargers in their plans. The city is adding them at the Civic Center too.

Manteca's first EV chargers arrived in 2013 at a transit station on Moffat Boulevard, powered by solar panels covering 51 parking spaces. Those remain the only public solar-powered chargers in town, but they proved the concept worked.

The Ripple Effect

Hotels nationwide are watching these moves closely. As EV adoption accelerates, charging availability becomes as important as WiFi for travelers choosing where to stay. Woodspring Suites isn't just adding an amenity; they're future-proofing their business.

Other California cities face the same state mandates, meaning this charging infrastructure will spread. What starts in Manteca today becomes standard in hotels everywhere tomorrow, making road trips in electric vehicles as easy as gas-powered ones.

The city is also targeting truck charging stations along Highway 99 and 120 Bypass corridors, recognizing that commercial vehicles need infrastructure too. They're seeking grants to accelerate installation and updating building codes to require chargers in new construction.

One hotel just made charging an electric vehicle easier than finding a good parking spot at the mall.