EVgo expands fast-charging network to grocery-anchored shopping centers

Overview

Updated Sep 10

EVgo and Regency Centers announced plans to add more than 400 fast-charging stalls at grocery-anchored shopping centers across the US. Each location can have up to 24 high-power chargers, capable of a full charge in as little as 15 minutes depending on the vehicle.

The move embeds charging into time people already spend shopping. Grocery trips average 40 to 45 minutes, long enough to add significant range. The obstacle is the grid: multi-megawatt charger clusters require transformer and utility upgrades that can take 18 to 36 months per site.

Why it matters

If fast charging fits into a grocery run, the biggest objection to owning an EV — waiting around to charge — starts to disappear.

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Key Indicators

400+

New fast-charging stalls planned

Stalls to be installed at Regency Centers shopping properties across multiple states.

Max chargers per location

Each site can support up to 24 high-power DC fast chargers.

15 min

Full charge time

EVgo says the chargers can deliver a full charge in as little as 15 minutes, depending on the vehicle.

20%+

Increase in Regency EV footprint

The new stalls will grow Regency Centers' EV infrastructure footprint by more than a fifth.

150+

Existing EVgo stalls at Regency sites

EVgo already operates over 150 stalls at Regency Centers properties from the partnership that began in 2020.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Scott Levitan

Executive Vice President, Growth at EVgo

Leading EVgo's retail partnership expansion

Mark Peternell

Vice President of Sustainability at Regency Centers

Overseeing EV infrastructure at Regency properties

Organizations Involved

EVgo Inc.

Public fast-charging network operator

Expanding retail partnerships, adding 400+ stalls at Regency Centers

One of the largest public fast-charging networks in the US, with over 40% of the population living within 10 miles of an EVgo charger.

Regency Centers Corporation

Real estate investment trust

Partnering with EVgo to expand charging at its properties

Owner and operator of grocery-anchored shopping centers in high-density US markets, including Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.

Timeline

January 2020 September 2026

3 events Latest: September 10th, 2026 · 2 months ago

September 2026
Announcement circulates across energy and EV outlets
Latest Coverage

The expansion is picked up by r/energy, Electrek, and industry publications, highlighting the grocery-dwell-time model.
September 10th, 2026
EVgo and Regency announce 400+ stall expansion
Announcement

Companies reveal plans for 400+ fast-charging stalls at grocery-anchored centers across nine-plus states, with up to 24 chargers per site.
September 9th, 2026
January 2020
First EVgo charger installed at a Regency Center
Partnership

EVgo and Regency Centers begin their partnership with a single fast-charging installation.
January 1st, 2020

Scenarios

EVgo completes grocery charging rollout on schedule

Likely Resolves by Jan 1, 2029

Discussed by: EVgo leadership and industry analysts citing the grocery-dwell-time match

The 400+ stalls deploy across 2 to 3 years as utility connections are upgraded. High-foot-traffic locations reach 3 to 4 charging sessions per day, validating the model. EVgo reports progress in quarterly earnings calls, and Regency treats charging as a standard amenity at new properties.

Grid upgrade costs and delays halve the rollout

Possible Resolves by Jun 1, 2028

Discussed by: Green Car Future and infrastructure analysts citing 18–36 month utility interconnection timelines

Sites requiring multi-million-dollar transformer upgrades get delayed or cut. A 2.8-megawatt connection isn't available at many shopping centers, and utilities need time to upgrade substations. EVgo scales back its target or extends the timeline significantly.

Grocery charging underperforms outside dense EV markets

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: Analysts examining utilization economics, where sites need 2+ sessions per day to break even

California and Northeast sites see strong use, but stalls in lower-EV-density states sit idle. EVgo discloses average utilization below 2 sessions per day at some grocery-anchored locations, making the economics marginal and prompting the company to slow further retail expansion.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1970s–1980s

Gas station convenience stores (1970s–1980s)

Gas stations began adding convenience stores in the 1970s, turning fueling from a service-stop into a quick retail errand. The model proved profitable enough that convenience store fuel sales now dominate US gasoline retailing.

Then

Stations with attached stores saw higher margins than fuel-only competitors.

Now

Fueling became embedded in retail trips; drivers rarely think of a gas station as a destination.

Why this matters now

EVgo is applying the same logic: put fast charging where people already park, and the 'waiting around' objection disappears. The grocery dwell time of 23–45 minutes is the EV-era version of the five-minute gas-and-grab.

2018–present

Electrify America's Walmart partnership (2018–present)

Electrify America, created as part of Volkswagen's diesel-emissions settlement, placed many of its first charging stations in Walmart parking lots. Retailers provided land and visibility; Electrify America handled the infrastructure.

Then

Drivers gained charging options at big-box stores across the country.

Now

Retail-anchored charging became a recognized model, proving property owners would host charging infrastructure to attract customers.

Why this matters now

The EVgo–Regency deal extends this retail-anchored model to grocery stores specifically, betting that frequent, short visits (2–3 per week) create better utilization math than occasional big-box trips.

2012–2020

Tesla Supercharger buildout (2012–2020)

Tesla built its Supercharger network first along highways for long-distance travel, then expanded into urban and destination locations. The company proved that reliable fast charging could be profitably deployed at scale.

Then

Tesla's network became the benchmark for charging reliability and speed.

Now

Other networks now compete on the same metrics: uptime, speed, and location convenience.

Why this matters now

EVgo's grocery play is the next phase of the same trajectory — moving from 'where drivers need to go' to 'where drivers already are.'