Kum & Go Plans to Add Tesla Superchargers to its Convenience Stores as EV Adoption Accelerates

Tesla Supercharger at Kum & Go in Bethany, MO. Photo: PlugShare

Electric cars are becoming more and more an integral part of our lives, so the desire to provide a wide network of charging stations is a smart move that will not only promote zero-emission vehicles but also attract EV owners to visit establishments that are near charging stations. Believing in Tesla's success and seeing the popularity of its vehicles, Kum & Go is pushing its strategy of adding Superchargers to its c-store (convenience store) in the Midwest at Joplin, Missouri.

Kum & Go is a longtime supporter of EVs and was impressed by the popularity of Tesla Model 3, which started pre-orders in 2017. Derek Nelson, manager of sustainability for Kum & Go LC, West Des Moines, Iowa, believed EVs would bring big changes to the transportation industry. He admitted that some would be skeptical about them, but urged fuel retailers to factor in charging stations as they plan new sites.

“If you build it, they will come. If you don’t, they won’t," said Nelson. “If you have a traditional fueling station and you don’t offer this alternative fuel, they’re not going to come to your store if they’re driving an EV today.”

In 2018, Kum & Go, with more than 400 stores in 11 states, partnered with charging station provider ChargePoint to test charging electric vehicles. After the test successfully passed, the company began to roll out charging stations more widely and is now starting construction of another location, at Joplin, Mo., 5002 South Main, where Tesla Superchargers will be located.

Tesla Supercharger at Kum & Go in Joplin, MO. Photo: JL News

“Kum & Go offers multiple types of charging stations for the growing electric vehicle (EV) market. An increasing amount of our locations now carry universal EV charging stations and Tesla Supercharger stations,” the company said in a statement.

The Tesla Supercharger in Joplin is expected to be online within the next two months, CStoreDecisions reports. Ken Kleemeier, vice president of fuels for the company, said the partnership with Tesla is part of a broader strategy to offer such charging stations as consumer demand grows.

“I would say it’s a measured pace as we monitor the adoption rate of electric vehicles,” said Kleemeier. "In areas where there is a higher rate of electric vehicle ownership and adoption, and where our stores line up with charging networks, we can expand."

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