Save WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. - Tesla is set to bring an electrifying addition to the Lehigh Valley's business scene. Tesla, a United States-based auto manufacturer and clean energy company, is planning to open a service center and store at 955 Grape St. in Whitehall Township, township officials confirmed. A Tesla location is coming soon to 955 Grape St. in Whitehall Township. Ryan Kneller The nearly 42,000-square-foot building was the longtime home of a Toys R Us location, which closed in 2018. Most recently, it housed a Lomax Carpet & Tile Mart store, which is moving to the MacArthur Towne Center at 2570 MacArthur Road in Whitehall. A building permit to create Tesla's new electric vehicle (EV) service center along with accompanying plumbing and electrical permits have been issued for the 955 Grape St. project, according to Lee Rackus, the planning, zoning and development bureau chief for Whitehall. "Anytime an existing commercial property is recycled or repurposed, it's a positive for the township and the community," Rackus said in reference to the forthcoming Tesla location. "Any redevelopment is beneficial to the township, and ecologically, it's good for the environment," Whitehall Mayor Joseph Marx added. "So, I'm excited. I think it's fantastic when any new business comes to the township, especially one with such prominence. I welcome [Tesla] to Whitehall and wish them much success." The Grape Street building is situated on a roughly 4.7-acre parcel across from Lehigh Valley Mall. The structure was gutted in recent weeks, and exterior work recently began in preparation for the new Tesla location's fit-out, according to an on-site contractor. A Tesla location is coming soon to 955 Grape St. in Whitehall Township. Ryan Kneller A Tesla spokesperson did not immediately return a message seeking more information, including a general time frame for when the Whitehall service center is expected to open. However, an on-site worker told 69 News that the project's anticipated completion date is late 2025. The new Tesla location also will feature an electric vehicle charging station, Rackus said. Tesla Superchargers allow drivers to add up to 200 miles of range in 15 minutes, and with more than 70,000 Superchargers worldwide, Tesla owns and operates the largest global, fast-charging network. Superchargers are located along major roadways near convenient amenities, keeping drivers charged when they're away from home. In the Lehigh Valley and surrounding region, Superchargers can be found at several locations such as 4680 Broadway in South Whitehall Township, 408 S. Cedar Crest Blvd. in South Whitehall Township, 7572 Schantz Road in Upper Macungie Township, 100 Trolley Line Drive in Palmer Township and 1960 John Fries Highway in Milford Township. "There's a great need for EV chargers in Whitehall," Marx said. "As EVs evolve, there's an increasing need for these charging stations all over, especially among apartment dwellers and people who don't have the means to do their own charging." Since Tesla was founded in 2003, the company's mission has been "to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy," according to the business' website. The first Tesla vehicle, the Roadster sports car, debuted in 2008, followed by the Model S sedan, which was introduced in 2012, and the Model X SUV, which launched in 2015, according to the company's website. In 2017, Tesla started deliveries of Model 3, a mass-market electric vehicle with more than 320 miles of range, and unveiled Tesla Semi, which is designed to save truck owners at least $200,000 over a million miles based on fuel costs. A Tesla location is coming soon to 955 Grape St. in Whitehall Township. Ryan Kneller In 2019, Tesla unveiled Cybertruck, which has roughly 120 cubic feet of cargo space and is estimated to have a range of more than 360 miles on a single charge, followed by the Model Y compact SUV, which began customer deliveries in early 2020. Pricing for Tesla vehicles varies, with models in the company's lower price bracket including the Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive for $42,490 and Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive for $44,990. Eligible customers receive a $7,500 federal EV tax credit (benefit ending Sept. 30) off the purchase price of qualifying new vehicles, applicable to both cash and financing purchases, according to Tesla's website. Individuals interested in purchasing a Tesla vehicle can shop models and place orders online via Tesla's website. If individuals are seeking in-person assistance to discuss their options, they also can visit a Tesla store. However, Tesla stores "generally don’t offer full lineups for test drives, and locations can be few and far between," according to a recent U.S. News & World Report article. "It’s not at all like a traditional dealership experience," the October 2024 article states. "If you go to a Tesla store to order your Tesla, your representative will help you place the order online exactly the same way you would have done at home alone." Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, leads all product design, engineering and global manufacturing of the company's electric vehicles, battery products and solar energy products. He also founded other businesses, including SpaceX, which designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft; The Boring Company, which creates transportation, utility and freight tunnels; and Neuralink, a neurotechnology company. FILE - Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House, May 30, 2025, in Washington. Evan Vucci - AP In recent months, he's made headlines due to his controversial actions as leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and subsequent criticism of Republicans' spending legislation. Musk's former role within President Donald Trump's administration led to demonstrations at Tesla locations in the United States and other countries by individuals protesting DOGE's efforts focusing on federal spending cuts. Protesters carrying signs and chanting slogans stand outside a Tesla showroom and service center in the North Hollywood section of Los Angeles on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Richard Vogel Musk stepped away from his role as head of DOGE in May, and he's recently criticized Trump and his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. In Tesla's Q2 earnings report, released last week, the company reported revenue of $22.5 billion, a 12% decrease compared to the same period last year. Total automotive revenues dropped 16%, and Tesla also reported a 13% year-over-year decrease in global vehicle deliveries for the second quarter of 2025, with 384,122 vehicles delivered compared to 443,956 in the same quarter last year. Tesla noted that Q2 2025 was a "seminal point" in the company's history: "the beginning of our transition from leading the electric vehicle and renewable energy industries to also becoming a leader in AI, robotics and related services." "Our first Robotaxi service launched in Austin in June," the report states. "While the service is limited in initial scope, we believe our approach to autonomy – a camera-only architecture with neural networks trained on data from our global fleet of millions of vehicles – allows us to continually improve safety, rapidly scale the network and improve profitability. We continue to expand our vehicle offering, including first builds of a more affordable model in June, with volume production planned for the second half of 2025. Additionally, we continued development of Semi and Cybercab, both slated for volume production in 2026." FILE - The Tesla logo is displayed at a Tesla location, Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Miami. Lynne Sladky - AP