EVgo is putting 500+ fast chargers where Americans shop

EVgo is adding more than 500 fast-charging stalls to shopping centers across the country, aiming to put chargers where people already run errands. The new plugs are going in at properties owned by Brixmor Property Group, which owns 346 open-air shopping centers (the kind anchored by a grocery store or discount retailer, not enclosed malls) in 29 states. Tenants at these centers include Kroger, Publix, TJ Maxx, and Ross Stores.

Once the rollout is finished, at least 90 Brixmor centers will have EVgo fast chargers, with new sites planned in Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Each location will get up to 12 DC fast chargers, which recharge an EV much faster than a home outlet or standard home charger. Deployment starts later this year, with the first new site at Barn Plaza in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, anchored by Whole Foods.

EVgo hasn't said how fast the new chargers will run or released the full list of shopping centers involved. The idea is straightforward: if you drive an EV, a 20 to 30 minute charging stop can now double as a grocery run or a quick meal instead of dead time sitting in a parking lot. This doesn't change anything about home charging equipment or rebates, but it does mean more public fast-charging options may show up near stores you already shop at, which is worth knowing if you're weighing whether to rely on home charging alone or use public chargers to fill in the gaps.