Two industry disruptors have teamed up to change the world as we know it. The future of gas stations is here, and it’s electric.
Wawa is an American chain of gas stations that features a luxury fill-up experience in which customers are able to order anything from freshly made coffee to quality hoagies from inside any of their large indoor shops. Wawa’s unique experience works great for electric car owners, as their “fill-ups” generally take quite a bit longer than that of their gasoline cousins.
Tesla’s proprietary network of Superchargers has forever changed the landscape of electric car ownership. Any Tesla owner has the ability to travel across the country with relative ease thanks to the convenience of Tesla’s Supercharger network. With the latest Supercharger V3, owners will now have the ability to charge their cars up to 80% in just 30 minutes, or gain 150 miles of range in around 15 minutes.
Both companies have been experiencing rapid expansion as of late and are now working together to provide the best charging experience for electric car consumers. There have already been Tesla Superchargers installed at more than 16 different Wawa locations since 2017, but Wawa spokesperson Lori Bruce mentioned that the two companies are looking to double that number by the end of 2020 in a recent statement to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
As of now, Tesla’s Superchargers are only usable by Tesla owners. Wawa does not currently offer any other charging solutions except at one store outside of the Philly region.
Surprisingly, Wawa is not the first gas station chain to dive into the electric car industry, as BP recently acquired the UK’s largest electric car charging company. As more and more consumers shift towards electric vehicles, we expect to see a major change for the future of gas stations, and Tesla owners received the first glimpse of that future today.
Through Tesla, we have already achieved an electric vehicle that is just as convenient as a traditional gas car. The 402-mile range is impressive in itself, but the average consumer will not even use a fraction of that in their day-to-day. With just an outlet in your garage, you will wake up every morning with a full “tank”. As a Tesla owner, you will rarely find the need to use a public charger, but when you do, why not stop inside a Wawa and grab some lunch?
