America’s Loneliest Road Is Finally EV-Ready

These days, though, the brightest part of its business is EVgo eXtend, a new unit in which retailers and other partners pay EVgo to build and maintain chargers, instead of the charging company owning them outright.

As part of the eXtend program, EVgo, in partnership with General Motors Co., is currently installing 2,000 fast-charging slots at Pilot Flying J travel stops across the US. The company typically wants its chargers to be used around five hours per day — EVgo says a 20% utilization rate delivers its target profit margin while minimizing wait times for drivers — but the Pilot Flying J cords provide a revenue stream whether they’re humming or not.

“It’s a model that allows us to really move into the corridors without taking on that utilization risk,” says Sara Rafalson, EVgo’s senior vice president of market development and public policy.