Building out electric vehicle charging infrastructure is no small feat. With several providers such as EVgo, Flo, ChargePoint, and Tesla featuring different charging requirements, locating a reliable network can become challenging. On the other hand, 7-Eleven operates, franchises, or licenses more than 13,000 stores in the United States and Canada. That footprint will lay the foundation for the company’s new electric vehicle charging network 7Charge.
7-Eleven announced the new project on Thursday, March 16, 2023. Despite the news recently breaking, the 7Charge network is already operational at select locations in Florida, Texas, Colorado, and California. The CHAdeMO and Combined Charging System (CCS) plug types at each charging station enable customers to charge most EV makes and models.
For even more convenience and seamless payment options, 7-Eleven offers the 7Charge app. Users can download the app for both Android and iOS devices by visiting Google Play, the App Store, or 7-Eleven's dedicated 7Charge webpage.
“For over 95 years, 7‑Eleven has innovated to meet our customers’ needs – delivering convenience where, when, and how they want it,” proclaimed 7‑Eleven President and CEO Joe DePinto. “Now, we are innovating once again to meet our customers' where they are by expanding our business to provide EV drivers convenience of the future...today.”
The company plans to expand its charging network over the coming years with third-party fast-changing technology bringing EV networks “to neighborhoods that have, until now, lacked access.”
7Charge is only operational in the U.S. for now, but 7-Eleven will leverage its Canadian locations to further expand the network. The Texas-based firm won’t restrict 7Charge to just 7-Eleven convenience stores either. Speedway and Stripes locations across North America will also join the sprawling network in years to come.
Building out the 7Charge infrastructure is still no small feat, but it’s a much easier task with 13,000 stores at your disposal.
