Love's 471 EV Charging Station

Loves Travel Stops & Country Stores completed a renovation at its 21548 FM 471 S location in Natalia, Texas, adding electric vehicle charging infrastructure to the site. The project, filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) as Love's 471 EV Charging Station, involved the installation of two dual electric vehicle charging stations, four powerblock modules, and one 2000A electrical switchgear. The estimated cost for this renovation and alteration was $600,000, covering approximately 1,600 sq ft of work.

The construction timeline moved quickly relative to the area's average. The plan review was completed in March 2025, and construction started in May 2025. The filing listed an estimated completion date of August 2025, though the final inspection was not passed until February 2026. This scheduled build window of 92 days was shorter than the county median of 153 days for similar renovation projects in Medina County. The project was registered with TDLR in March 2025, and the accessibility specialist of record was James J Heilman.

Project Scope and Design

Larson Design Group served as the design firm of record for this project. The scope was specific to electrical infrastructure upgrades to support EV charging. The estimated cost of $600,000 places this project above the median estimated cost of $325,000 for TDLR-registered renovation and alteration filings in Medina County. The cost per square foot, calculated at $375, is also above the county median of $100 per square foot for this type of work. These figures reflect the specialized nature of installing high-capacity electrical switchgear and charging stations.

Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc. is the owner of record. This entity has two other TDLR-registered projects in the state, located in Three Rivers and Encinal, both with similar estimated costs of $600,000 and both closed. The design firm, Larson Design Group, has been involved in six other TDLR-registered projects totaling nearly $10 million, including work for NTB Tire and Mavis Tire locations across Texas.

The project is privately funded on private land for private use. The TDLR record shows that the final inspection passed in February 2026. Subsequently, TDLR closed the project file in August 2026, which marks the end of the accessibility review process for this construction. The status of the TDLR file is now Project Closed.

Natalia is located in Medina County, a region with a population of about 6,139 according to U.S. Census estimates for ZIP code 78059. The median household income in this area is $72,254, and housing is predominantly owner-occupied. The addition of EV charging infrastructure at this travel stop aligns with the growing demand for electric vehicle services in rural and semi-rural Texas locations.