Tesla wants a Supercharger in Inuvik, 200 km above the Arctic Circle: the first in Canada's Northwest Territories

Tesla wants to put a Supercharger in one of the most remote towns in North America. Documents from the Town of Inuvik in Canada's Northwest Territories show that Tesla has asked to install a small charging station on town-owned land. If it goes ahead, it would be the first Supercharger in the territory, and one of the most northerly anywhere.

The document was shared on X by a Tesla fan who goes by Marco, whose first reaction was that it could not possibly be real. It is: the proposal appears in an official council report.

What Tesla has proposed

• Size: two to four charging stalls, open 24 hours a day, all year.
• Extras: Tesla might add solar panels and battery storage, although that is not confirmed.
• Rent: Tesla offered to pay $200 a month.
• Term: a licence of 10 years from the day the station opens, renewing automatically in five-year blocks unless one side ends it.
• Who does what: Tesla would install and maintain the chargers. The town would look after the site, including snow clearing.
• Possible site: town staff named the property with the Inuvik Gateway Welcome Sign at 25 Carn Street. Other town sites that already get winter maintenance are also being considered.

The papers do not mention charging speeds, a build schedule or an opening date.

Where things stand

This is a proposal, not a done deal. A town committee discussed it on July 7 and backed further talks. On August 12, the council told staff to continue discussions and due diligence with Tesla Motors Canada. Staff still have to check the site, accessibility, power supply, insurance, maintenance and legal risks, and then come back with a final agreement or recommendation. A licence agreement would still need approval.

Why Inuvik is remarkable

Inuvik is a town of about 3,100 people, roughly 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. It is reached by the Dempster Highway, a mostly gravel road that runs north from near Dawson City in the Yukon. Since 2017, a 138 km highway continues from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean.

There are no Superchargers in the Northwest Territories or the Yukon today. The closest in Canada is in Grande Prairie, Alberta, about 2,718 km away by road, or around 33 to 34 hours of driving. The nearest overall is in Fairbanks, Alaska, about 1,400 km away.

A single station in Inuvik would not close that gap on its own. But it fits a pattern: Tesla opened sites in Terrace and Vanderhoof in northern British Columbia in September, and Tok, Alaska, near the Yukon border, was picked as a winner in a Supercharger location vote in May. Step by step, the far north is getting chargers.

Why it matters

For the town, the council report notes that a station could support visitor services and EV tourism. The road to Tuktoyaktuk is a bucket-list drive, and a reliable fast charger at the end of the Dempster would make it more realistic in an EV.

For Tesla, the cost is small: a handful of stalls and $200 a month in rent. The station would also be a showcase for how Superchargers cope with extreme cold, and solar plus storage could help if local grid capacity is limited.

What to watch next

The next step is the staff report and a council vote on a licence agreement. After that, the details that matter to drivers: how many stalls, how fast they charge, and whether Tesla really adds solar and batteries. Also watch whether more stations follow along the Dempster and Alaska Highways, because one charger at the top of the map is only useful if drivers can get there.