"Welcome to Whitehall," Commissioner Vice President Philip Ginder said to Tesla Motors Corp. representatives at Monday's board of commissioners meeting.

The commissioners voted unanimously to approve a supercharger station on the grounds of the Lehigh Valley Mall.

The charging station is for use by electric vehicles. It will be the first one in the Lehigh Valley and will be built near the Firestone Tire Store at the Whitehall Mall.

The Tesla Motors website at www.teslamotors. com, says Tesla electric vehicles can be charged in owner's garages. The supercharging station allows a greater charge much more quickly. Supercharging stations tend to be located near restaurants and stores so that drivers and passengers can eat and shop during the 30 minutes it takes to charge enough to drive about 170 miles.

The township planning commission earlier recommended the commissioners approve the charging station, the plans for which included a waiver of street tree requirements.

Attached conditions include a $100 fee for plan review and arrangements with the Coplay-Whitehall Sewer Authority for sanitary sewer distribution and the Whitehall Township Authority for water distribution.

Tesla has a showroom at King of Prussia and plans a second one at Devon, Chester County.

Tesla in 2013 sold 25,000 cars, with a goal of 35,000 cars to be sold this year.