TravelCenters Teams With Electrify America to Entice EV Drivers

TravelCenters of America is betting on electric vehicles (EVs) amid an industry-wide convenience store upgrade.

The company — which operates TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express — is working with Electrify America to offer EV charging at select Petro and TA locations beginning this year, the company said in a news release Monday (Jan. 30).

“Electrify America is the largest open direct current fast-charging network in the U.S.,” the release stated. “With a goal of installing approximately 1,000 individual chargers at 200 locations along major highways over five years, TA will purchase Electrify America’s DC (direct current) fast chargers.”

According to the release, Electrify America will install, operate and maintain the charging stations at TA/Petro locations and include TA on its charging network, letting customers access and pay for charging via the Electrify America app.

The company said the charging network will be open to nearly all EV brands and can “deliver up to 350 kW to capable vehicles — some of the fastest charging speeds commercially available.”

TravelCenters’ EV project is happening as the number of convenience stores in America is on the rise, with many of these new locations offering more than just snacks and beverages.

For example, Getty Realty announced earlier this month that it invested $44 million into nine store acquisitions throughout last year. And 7-Eleven is upgrading its stores with omnichannel convenience, expanding on its on-demand delivery infrastructure with its 7NOW delivery app and 7NOW Gold Pass free delivery subscription.

Meanwhile, leading players in this space have been expanding on their prepared, hot food offerings, with the National Association of Convenience Stores noting that almost 25% of the sales in the industry come from retailers’ food service businesses. That share has jumped dramatically in the last decade, up from 16.8%.

In addition, convenience stores are also being increasingly called upon to digitize the in-store experience. Findings from “The Instant Payments Transformation Guide: Grocery, Pharmacy and Convenience Retailers,” a PYMNTS and ACI Worldwide collaboration, showed that 81% of stores saw access to mobile apps as crucial to in-store customer loyalty. Another 77% said the same of digital rewards and coupons.

“Modern convenience stores and pharmacies may find themselves in more intense competition with each other and online services,” the study stated. “As an influx of independent, mobile-only online pharmacies and convenience services drive up competition, the savviest convenience stores and pharmacies are driving engagement through features that reward consumers for shopping and remove friction from transactions.

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