Dive Brief:
- Circle K plans to expand its electric vehicle charging infrastructure into several new states “soon,” according to the company website.
- A map of the convenience retailer’s EV charging locations shows the first planned charging stations in Illinois, Georgia and Washington, along with additional chargers in states that already have the program, like California, Minnesota, North Carolina and South Carolina.
- Circle K and fellow c-store giant 7-Eleven have both been detailing upcoming additions to their EV charging footprint online.
Dive Insight:
Circle K has been making strides in electrification this year, including holding a grand opening for its first few California EV charging stations in August.
At the time of the grand opening, Circle K said it was planning on about 20 EV station additions over the coming year in its West Coast business alone. The map on its website already shows six currently active locations in California, with three more coming in that state and two expected in Washington.
In all, the map shows more than two dozen upcoming charging stations across the country.
On its website, Circle K touts its charging network as not only a good place for drivers to consider because the sites have foodservice offerings, WiFi and more, but also because the good lighting and long hours make the sites safer for consumers.
Customers who want to use Circle K chargers need to download the Circle K Charge USA app and register through that, including adding a verified credit card to pay for sessions. Charges can be started from the app with a swipe, the website said.
While there are not many reviews of the app on the iPhone App Store, several noted difficulty getting charges to start through the app.
Both Circle K and 7-Eleven, the top two c-store chains in North America, have their own proprietary EV charging apps. 7-Eleven’s official charging network rolled out in March. 7. In addition to adding more chargers in Florida and California, the company is also in the process of expanding into British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.
Laval, Quebec-based Couche-Tard operates more than 5,700 c-stores in the U.S. It is the second-largest c-store company in North America behind 7-Eleven.
