If you’re planning on cruising the 101 from Los Angeles to San Francisco, you can now go electric with the trip…provided you have a Tesla Roadster (priced at more than $100,000). It’s because of the EV charging corridor that’s been implemented along the 101 for that stretch and dubbed the “electric highway”, and while it’s current specifications seem to limit it as luxury for the rich, in time it could be a major selling feature for electric cars in California.

The “electric highway” is composed of five charging stations in Salinas, Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria and Goleta—all smaller towns along the way between the major cities of L.A. and San Francisco. The quick-charge stations (four of which are powered by traditional electricity and one which is powered by solar) were provided by Tesla using grants from the California Air Resources Board, and will be maintained by SolarCity and Rabobank (all but one of the stations are located at Rabobanks).

Tesla’s connection with the project has given them a leg up on EV competitors, as the stations currently only feature the Tesla high-powered charger and are therefore only compatible with the Tesla Roadsters, but SolarCity has made it clear that it will update the stations with universal plugs once they are available (most likely in about six months). The universal plugs would allow drivers of almost all electric cars, including the Mini E, Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, to recharge quickly en route. The universal plugs could also mean drivers will have to start paying for recharges, though they’re currently offered for free by Rabobank and SolarCity.

While a wider range of charging options will be crucial for the success of EVs in America, there are still some kinks to be worked out with the “electric highway”. For instance, the distances between some of the charging stations is more than 100 miles, a number that’s all right for the longer-distance Tesla Roadster and the Chevy Volt but won’t work for EVs like the Mini E and the Nissan Leaf, which can’t make a 100 miles on one charge. Another concern is time. Yes, SolarCity has set up the stations in retail areas so that drivers can keep busy while their cars charge, but their plan of drivers stopping in for a meal and coming back to a recharged vehicle means more than three hours in a restaurant if Roadster drivers want a full recharge.

Still, you can expect the “electric highway” to boost electric car sales, especially once the universal plug is installed next year.

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