Image Credit: Electrify America.Pull into an EV charging station at Costco or Wawa, and the name on the charger might not be Electrify America. Look behind the branding, however, and Electrify America could still be providing much of the technology and support that keeps it running.That's the idea behind Powered by Electrify America, a program that allows businesses to create charging networks under their own brands. Retailers can own the charging equipment, choose how the stations look, and set their own prices while Electrify America handles much of the work behind the scenes.The program has been around since 2020, though its footprint has grown substantially. Electrify America says the white-label network now includes nearly 600 chargers spread across more than 100 stations.Companies such as Costco and Wawa already use the service. For retailers interested in offering fast charging without developing an entire charging operation themselves, it's essentially a shortcut into the business.Businesses Get Their Own Charging NetworkImage Credit: Electrify America.Powered by Electrify America goes further than simply installing an Electrify America-branded station in a store parking lot. The business owns the equipment and can customize the branding, pricing, and overall design of its locations.Retailers can also integrate charging with existing loyalty or membership programs. That's particularly useful for a company such as Costco, where membership already plays a central role in how customers interact with the business.Businesses receive access to information about charging sessions and station usage as well. That potentially gives retailers another way to understand how customers use their locations and how charging fits into their existing operations.Electrify America Handles The Complicated PartsBuilding a fast-charging station involves considerably more than bolting a charger to the pavement. Permits, utility connections, construction, commissioning, software, and ongoing maintenance all need to be addressed before drivers can reliably plug in.Electrify America can handle site feasibility work, permitting, construction, and maintenance for businesses participating in the program. Its current equipment can provide charging speeds of up to 350 kW, while the company is also preparing its infrastructure to support the NACS/J3400 connector.The arrangement allows Electrify America to expand the reach of its technology without necessarily putting its own branding on every charger. Its main public network currently has more than 5,600 chargers across over 1,080 stations, making the white-label operation much smaller but still significant.Charging Could Keep Customers Around LongerImage Credit: Electrify America.There's an obvious reason retailers might want chargers sitting outside their stores. Electrify America says a typical charging session takes around 20 to 30 minutes, giving customers plenty of time to shop, grab food, or otherwise spend money while their vehicle charges.A retailer also doesn't have to surrender that customer relationship to another charging brand. It can keep its own name on the station, determine what drivers pay, and potentially reward members through its existing loyalty system.Drivers may eventually encounter Electrify America technology in far more places without realizing it. The familiar green-and-black Electrify America logo could be nowhere in sight, even while much of the hardware and infrastructure operating behind another company's charging network comes from Electrify America.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
