Dive Brief:
- Wawa will begin opening branded electric vehicle chargers using Tesla’s technology for the first time, according to a LinkedIn post from Vince Cipollone, the retailer’s director of EV charging and new fuel business.
- The first site under this agreement is now open in Alachua, Florida, according to Cipollone. The hardware is Wawa-branded, and the retailer also handles pricing. Previously, Wawa had only hosted the chargers.
- Wawa has worked with Tesla for more than a decade, resulting in the convenience retailer having 2,115 charging stalls at 223 sites — more than any other host, according to a post on X, from Tesla Director of Charging for North America Max de Zegher.
Dive Insight:
By becoming the owner and operator of this technology rather than simply hosting the site for a fee from Tesla, Wawa is opening itself up to more risk and more reward. Leasing space for chargers is reliable, but being able to set its own prices means that a well-utilized EV charging location could bring in a lot more money.
Using the Tesla network also gives these sites access to plenty of bells and whistles.
“Customers can expect all the great features they know and love through the Supercharger network, including seamless navigation, preferred payment options, the convenience of Plug and Charge, live availability updates, real-time wait times, preconditioning, and comprehensive driver support,” Cipollone wrote in the LinkedIn post.
Wawa has a significant history with EV charging. In addition to the more than 200 sites with Tesla chargers, it also partnered with Ionna last year to open charging stations at select locations, starting in Florida. A 2024 report from Consumer Reports found that Wawa had charging at between 10% and 30% of its sites — among the best in the industry.
