7-Eleven just announced 7Charge, an all-new proprietary EV fast-charging network and app, which will be available at select 7-Eleven stores in the United States, and soon also in Canada.

The plan is to build one of the largest, most convenient, and highly reliable EV fast-charging networks of any retailer in North America. At the launch of 7Charge, customers can already use the fast charging service in several locations in Florida, Texas, Colorado, and California.

It’s unclear how many stations will be installed, but 7-Eleven said it currently operates, franchises, and/or licenses more than 13,000 stores in the US and Canada. This means that, at least potentially, thousands of new chargers will be installed across the network.

“Once the network’s expansion is complete, 7-Eleven will have one of the largest and most compatible fast-charging networks of any retailer in North America serving communities and customers at charging stations across its entire family of brands including Speedway® and Stripes® stores.”

Details related to the chargers and prices were not revealed, but one of the goals is to make the network accessible to any EV make and model, compatible with the CHAdeMO and Combined Charging System (CCS) plug types.

The new 7Charge app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play, or by visiting 7-eleven.com/7Charge.

Joe DePinto, President and Chief Executive Officer at 7-Eleven, said:

“For over 95 years, 7-Eleven has innovated to meet our customers’ needs – delivering convenience where, when and how they want it. Now, we are innovating once again to meet our customers’ where they are by expanding our business to provide EV drivers convenience of the future…today.”

The ambitious project comes about two years after 7-Eleven announced its intention to install 250 kW DC fast chargers (dual-head, with some 500 kW stalls). At the time, the company was installing 125 kW ChargePoint chargers – sometimes with several dual-head chargers. A different manufacturer might potentially supply the new chargers.

7-Eleven’s new 7Charge DC fast-charging network is a sign of the times, when the electrification of transport is becoming mainstream. Sooner rather than later, we might see more retail outlets building EV charging infrastructure – on their own or in partnership with larger networks.