Wawa, the East Coast convenience retailer, is stepping into ownership of Tesla-branded electric vehicle chargers for the first time. The first such site has opened in Alachua, Florida, where Wawa now handles branding, pricing, and operations. This move builds on a decade-long partnership with Tesla, positioning Wawa as the largest host of Tesla charging stalls.
Wawa has long been a key partner in Tesla's Supercharger network, hosting chargers at its stores without owning the infrastructure. That changed recently with the opening of its first owned and operated Tesla charger site in Alachua, Florida. According to Vince Cipollone, Wawa's director of EV charging and new fuel business, the retailer will brand the hardware and set its own pricing, shifting from a hosting role to full ownership.
This development allows Wawa to capture more revenue from high-traffic charging locations, though it introduces operational risks. Tesla's North America Charging Director Max de Zegher noted on X that Wawa already operates 2,115 charging stalls across 223 sites, surpassing any other host. The partnership dates back over a decade, and Wawa's chargers cover 10% to 30% of its locations, according to a 2024 Consumer Reports analysis—among the highest in the industry.
Customers at these new Wawa-owned sites will benefit from Tesla's Supercharger features. Cipollone highlighted in a LinkedIn post: “Customers can expect all the great features they know and love through the Supercharger network, including seamless navigation, preferred payment options, the convenience of Plug and Charge, live availability updates, real-time wait times, preconditioning, and comprehensive driver support.”
Wawa is also expanding EV infrastructure through other partnerships, such as with Ionna, which began deploying chargers at select Florida stores last year. By owning Tesla technology, Wawa aims to enhance its appeal to electric vehicle drivers while leveraging the network's reliability.
