Wawa is taking greater control of the EV charging experience at its stores, partnering with Electrify America to introduce Wawa-branded DC fast chargers at eight Pennsylvania locations before the end of 2026.
The new installations represent a shift from simply hosting third-party charging networks toward chargers carrying Wawa’s own branding. Electrify America will provide the underlying charging technology and network infrastructure through its white-label charging business, while the customer-facing experience will be presented under the Wawa name.
Wawa says it already offers EV charging at more than 280 locations, having begun adding chargers to its stores in 2017. The Pennsylvania rollout will effectively serve as a test of whether the company’s familiar fuel-and-convenience-store model can extend more directly into EV charging.
UP TO 400 KW AND NACS AT FIVE LOCATIONS
Five of the eight installations — Upper Darby, Phoenixville, Media, Williamsport and Reading — will use chargers capable of delivering up to 400 kW. Those locations will support both CCS and NACS connectors, making them compatible with an increasingly broad range of current and upcoming EVs.
The Bristol, Allentown and Quakertown locations will receive chargers rated at up to 350 kW and equipped with CCS connectors.
The eight locations are:
- Bristol — 5900 Bristol Pike
- Allentown — 7572 Schantz Road
- Quakertown — 1960 John Fries Highway
- Upper Darby — 8240 West Chester Pike
- Phoenixville — 1600 Egypt Road
- Media — 1242 W. Baltimore Pike
- Williamsport — 164 Maynard Street
- Reading — 413 Lancaster Avenue
“By owning Wawa branded chargers, we are always striving to deliver a more seamless, reliable, and consistent experience,” said Rich Makin, Wawa senior vice president and chief fuel and development officer.
Electrify America’s role goes beyond supplying the hardware. Its white-label program is intended to allow retailers and other businesses to establish their own charging networks while relying on Electrify America for the technology and operational infrastructure behind them.
ANOTHER ROLE FOR VOLKSWAGEN’S CHARGING NETWORK
For Audi owners, the partnership is notable because of Electrify America’s connection to Volkswagen Group. Electrify America was established by Volkswagen Group of America in 2016 as part of the company’s diesel emissions settlement commitments and has since grown into one of the largest DC fast-charging networks in the United States.
Audi has also been closely tied to the network as its U.S. electric vehicle lineup has expanded, with complimentary Electrify America charging plans offered with a number of e-tron models over the years.
The Wawa program points toward another potential role for that infrastructure and expertise. Rather than requiring Electrify America itself to be the consumer-facing charging brand, its technology can sit behind networks operated under established retail names.
That could be particularly significant for convenience stores. Unlike traditional gasoline stops measured in minutes, even the fastest EV charging sessions give customers considerably more time to spend at a location. Wawa already has the food, beverages, restrooms and other amenities that make a charging stop more useful, while Electrify America brings experience deploying and operating high-power DC charging equipment.
For now, the Wawa-branded program is limited to eight Pennsylvania stores. Wawa currently operates roughly 1,200 locations and is expanding into additional states, however, giving the concept considerably more room to grow should the Pennsylvania rollout prove successful.