- Pilot, GM, and EVgo have opened 300 EV charging stations.
- Some stations have canopies, just like gas stations do.
- It’s part of a trend of travel center and retail chains diving into EV charging.
In 2022, Pilot Company, one of the larger travel-center companies in the U.S., partnered with EVgo and GM Energy to start building charging stations across the country. The goal was to create a network of charging stations that operated much like gas stations: open 24/7, overhead canopies to keep customers dry in bad weather, with somewhere to use the bathroom or grab a bite to eat. And it seems to be working well so far. There are now 300 locations nationwide, the companies announced on Tuesday, with an average rating of 9.41 out of 10 on PlugShare.
As someone who lives in New Jersey, where the charging network is mostly pretty lame, these Pilot stations are a breath of fresh air. Many are as convenient as gas stations, in terms of amenities. There are on-site restaurants and shops to buy snacks, bathrooms, and even free WiFi. So if you have a slower charging car, you still have a comfy place to kill some time. Most of my charging means eating the protein bar I brought in the driver’s seat, complaining about the crumbs I’ll have to vacuum out later.
Photo by: Pilot Company
The actual charging stations themselves are gas station-like, too. Very few chargers I’ve ever used have had overhead canopies, which makes rainy nights a real pain in the ass. But some Pilot chargers do. They even have windshield washing squeegees, just like a typical gas station, which is neat. And, if you’re towing a trailer, there are pull-through stations, so you don’t have to drop the trailer to back up to a charger, which I imagine must be incredibly convenient for many EV truck owners.
Pilot’s 300 locations add up to 1,300 actual fast-charging stalls. It means the companies are a little more than halfway to their goal of installing 2,000 chargers across 500 locations. It’s part of a bigger trend too: Newer players from the worlds of gas stations and retail are driving a lot of EV charging growth. Think chains like Wawa, Buc-ee’s, Walmart, and Love’s Travel Stops.
I’ve long wondered why more charging stations weren’t like gas stations. Why not create essentially the same thing just with chargers instead of pumps? Pilot, GM, and EVgo seem to be doing just that. They’re not quite as flashy as Tesla’s drive-in diner, but I hope some come to New Jersey soon.