Love's Outlines Commitment to Electric Vehicle Charging
OKLAHOMA CITY — Love's Travel Stops broke ground on next-generation electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the chain's New York stores in Ripley and Waterloo.
Each location will feature two dual port Level 3 DC fast chargers for a total of four charging spots, each with 160KW high-power outputs.
"Expanding the EV charging network is not new to us as we first started in the EV space in 2017 and have continued to grow the network," said Shane Wharton, Love's president. "We now offer more than 100 chargers at 28 stores in 11 states. These future EV investments reinforce our commitment to meeting customers' needs regardless of fuel type."
Love's believes its onsite amenities naturally align with many of the needs of its EV customers. Advantages include:
- Convenient locations just off of highways with efficient entry and exit points.
- In-store amenities which can be accessed while charging, with drivers able to take advantage of restaurants, Wi-Fi, fresh food options, beverages, Mobile to Go Zones and restrooms, as well as outdoor access to dog parks.
- Stores open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving guests resources should they have questions or need immediate assistance while charging.
- Options for either Level 2 AC charging or Level 3 DC fast charging to meet the needs of a variety of vehicles.
Future charging stations will be DC fast chargers, with charging areas expected to include canopies installed to protect drivers from weather as well as typical fueling amenities such as trash cans and windshield cleaning supplies.
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Several of Love's new EV charging sites will be funded through state and National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program federal grants, which the company recently procured. Groundbreaking on four NEVI-funded sites in Pennsylvania and Kentucky, respectively, will start this year.
In 2025, construction is expected to start on similar chargers in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
All new Love's Travel Stops will have space for EV chargers allocated to be able to quickly partner with local utility companies to install EV charging stations should there be customer demand.
Headquartered in Oklahoma, family-owned and -operated Love's core business is travel stops and convenience stores with 648 locations in 42 states. The company has nearly 40,000 team members in North America and Europe.