Slurpee, snacks, and some ‘electrons' at 7-Eleven

For those who’ve been considering buying an electric vehicle, but fear they will be forced to eat kale and granola, there’s good news. Now you can opt for a Slurpee and a microwaved burrito while topping up your battery pack. The ubiquitous American convenience store chain 7‑Eleven plans to deploy at least 500 DC fast charging stations at 250 selected stores in the US and Canada by the end of 2022.

Left: A look at one of 7-Eleven's new charging stations (Source: 7‑Eleven; Right: Tesla Model Y (Source: EVANNEX; Photo by Casey Murphy)

The new charging stations will be owned and operated by 7‑Eleven, which already has 22 charging stations located at 14 stores in 4 states. No details of power levels or pricing have been revealed yet.

In 2016, 7‑Eleven planned to achieve a 20% reduction in carbon emissions from its stores by 2027. In the event, this goal was reached in 2019, 8 years early, and the company has now pledged a 50% reduction by 2030. 7‑Eleven is purchasing 100% wind energy for over 800 stores in Texas and over 300 in Illinois. In Virginia, 150 stores are using hydropower, and 300 Florida stores are powered by solar energy.

Above: Inside the new charging network being established by 7-Eleven (YouTube: Eliana Sheriff)

“7‑Eleven has always been a leader in new ideas and technology,” said 7‑Eleven CEO Joe DePinto. “Adding 500 charging ports at 250 7‑Eleven stores will make EV charging more convenient and help accelerate broader adoption of EVs and alternative fuels. 7‑Eleven’s legacy is bringing convenience to the customer, and that continues to evolve—from ice on a dock in 1927 to electricity for your car today.”

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This article originally appeared in Charged. Author: Charles Morris. Source: 7‑Eleven. Editor's Note: 7‑Eleven isn't the first to try this — others like Wawa have partnered with Tesla to include Superchargers at their locations.