While many motorists cite the prospect of never going to a gas station again as a good reason to buy an electric car, it’s not an entirely realistic expectation. EV owners road-tripping across California might still need to stop at Chevron, but not to buy gasoline. The company launched a partnership with EVgo, the operator of a sizable electric car charging network, to install chargers at some of its gas stations in California.
The fast chargers EVgo is installing on Chevron’s network of fuel stations deliver charging speeds that range between 50 and 100 kilowatts. To add context, plugging a Jaguar I-Pace into a 50-kilowatt station delivers up to 168 miles of driving range per hour. Using a 100-kilowatt charger channels up to 62 miles of range into the battery pack in approximately 15 minutes.
Pricing varies depending on whether the user is an EVgo member, and where the charging station is located. In the San Francisco area, non-members are charged $0.30 per minute for DC fast charging, and they’re limited to 45 minutes of electricity. Members pay $0.26 per minute, and they’re able to charge for up to 60 minutes at a time between 8 pm and 6 am, but they need to pay a $7.99 monthly fee. Charging in the Los Angeles area is a few cents cheaper per minute.
The partnership is a wise move for Chevron. While participating stations will lose a handful of parking spots, they’re almost certain to make money because electric car owners will likely buy snacks and drinks to enjoy while they wait for electricity. It doesn’t sound like users will be expected to make a purchase at the Chevron station, however.
As of May 23, three fast chargers are operational at a Chevron station in Menlo Park, California. Four additional Chevron stations located in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas will host charging stations in the coming months. All told, over a dozen chargers will stand next to the pumps that dispense gasoline and diesel once the first phase of the project is complete. It’s not unreasonable to assume EVgo and Chevron will expand their partnership to other states if everything goes according to plan.
