Dive Brief:
- RaceTrac has opened several new electric vehicle charging stations in Texas, a company spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
- This rollout includes five RaceTrac convenience stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — each with one EV charging station. This expansion had been in the making for months, as RaceTrac said late last year that it planned to bring charging stations to the Dallas area by the end of 2024.
- With RaceTrac’s only other charging station at one c-store in Alabama, the retailer has sextupled its charging station count essentially overnight.
Dive Insight:
When Atlanta-based RaceTrac debuted EV charging at its lone convenience store in Oxford, Alabama, last October, the convenience retailer said that was “only the beginning” of its EV charging journey and that it would “expand its EV charging network” over the coming months and years.
“As a fuel provider — no matter the type — RaceTrac will meet the evolving needs of its guests and America’s motorists,” former CEO Max McBrayer said at the time.
That sentiment hasn’t changed. RaceTrac’s spokesperson said on Monday that the company will continue to roll out EV charging stations strategically across its existing c-store footprint, which includes nearly 800 RaceTrac and RaceWay convenience stores across 13 states.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area is one of RaceTrac’s largest markets with over 100 convenience stores in the region, according to RaceTrac’s website.
RaceTrac’s EV charging station in Alabama is a direct current fast charger (DCFC) with two charging ports, both of which are situated under a dedicated canopy. The five charging stations in Texas use a different configuration than the one in Alabama, RaceTrac's spokesperson said.
RaceTrac’s EV charging expansion continues the company’s broader technology upgrades in recent months. Since late last year, RaceTrac has implemented an edge computing program to centralize management and provide real-time insights, and switched its security and data servers to a new platform.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated with information about RaceTrac’s charging hardware.
