Dive Brief:
- TravelCenters of America (TA) plans to open about 1,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at 200 TA and Petro Stopping Centers over the next five years, with the first locations planned for later in 2023, according to a Monday announcement.
- The stations will be developed with the help of charging manufacturer Electrify America, which will install, operate and maintain the ports through its Electrify Commercial business unit, according to the announcement.
- TA becomes the latest major travel center chain to enter the EV charging space, joining Pilot Co. and Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, in addition to the many c-store retailers tapping into the fuel alternative.
Dive Insight:
TA’s entrance into EV charging comes more than a year and half after launching its sustainability business unit, eTA, which was supposed to include the rollout of FreeWire EV charging stations in California in the second quarter of 2021. To date, TA has not provided an update on these stations.
By working with Electrify America, TA will be included in the manufacturer’s EV charging network, which lets customers access and pay for charging through the Electrify America mobile app. Additionally, Electrify America will manage the entire process of developing TA’s charging stations, from getting permits approved to providing a warranty and 24/7 support services for the chargers, along with conducting onsite maintenance.
“TA’s large locations with expansive amenities are attractive to EV motorists and we are committed to expanding our EV charging infrastructure to accommodate this growing number of EV drivers over time,” Jon Pertchik, CEO of TravelCenters of America, said in the announcement.
As part of its $2 billion investment in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, Reston, Virginia-based Electrify America aims to have more than 1,800 charging stations with over 10,000 individual chargers in the U.S. and Canada by 2026.
Westlake, Ohio-based TravelCenters of America operates 281 travel centers in 44 states between its TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express brands. The company also operates over 600 full-service and quick-service restaurants and nine proprietary brands, including Iron Skillet and Country Pride.
