TESLA Inc. has unveiled what it claims is the longest supercharging route in China, a 5,000-kilometer stretch spanning the vast nation from east to west that’s studded with 27 electric-car charging stations along the way.

A promotional video about the route, which also pays homage to China’s majestic landscape, was retweeted by CEO Elon Musk.

Charging facilities are vital to the promotion of electric cars, with range anxiety one of the main reasons why people don’t want to make the switch away from gasoline vehicles.

The route covers nine cities, starting from the eastern coastal hub of Zhoushan and stretching to the western city of Horgos bordering Kazakhstan. It loosely follows the same path as the legendary Silk Road, a network of trade routes that for centuries was central to economic, cultural, political and religious interactions.

Tesla drivers will be able to travel to tourist attractions including the Kumtag Desert, the Tulufan volcano and Sayram Lake, famous scenic destinations in Xinjiang, all without worrying about their cars losing power.

China, the world’s biggest electric-car market, is critical to Tesla, which sells thousands of cars in the country every month. The U.S. firm has already set up around 840 charging stations in China and more than 65,000 supercharging poles covering over 310 cities. (SD-Agencies)