Located at Eclipse Park near junction seven of the M20, the site is positioned en route to the Eurotunnel at Folkestone and features five Supercharger units, each capable of recharging the Model S to 80% capacity in around half an hour.

Parking and charging are both free for Model S owners, and Tesla said the new site forms part of an ongoing rapid expansion of the network. There are 17 stations around the UK, from Edinburgh to Exeter, and the carmaker’s website shows new locations near Leeds, Southampton and Aberystwyth.

‘The Maidstone Superchargers are an exciting addition to the network, enabling travel through Europe from the UK and for our European owners to be able to drive easily into the UK,’ said Georg Ell, Tesla’s UK Country Director.

Cllr Malcolm Greer, cabinet member at Maidstone Borough Council, added: ‘The idea of being able to travel across the UK and the Continent without generating pollution or having to pay for fuel is not only good for the environment but also good for the wallet. I was very pleased to hear that our planners were able to turn this application around in six weeks to meet Tesla’s timetable.’