Dive Brief:

• Convenience store operator Sheetz will remotely manage its electric vehicle charging stations using software from industrial manufacturing company Vontier, the companies announced this week.
• The cloud-based platform, Driivz, lets Sheetz “remotely address charger issues in real-time” and provides loyalty rewards, session tracking and digital receipts, according to the announcement. Driivz also offers on-site energy management “to balance loads in real time and optimize charging performance.”
• Sheetz operates more than 800 stores across seven states and has logged more than 2 million EV charging sessions at more than 125 stations across its network.

Dive Insight:

The Driivz partnership reinforces Sheetz goal to make EV charging a core tenet of its business. “EV drivers already choose our stores because of the amenities and services we provide,” said Trevor Walter, executive vice president of petroleum supply management at Sheetz. “This partnership allows us to build on that trust — making charging a seamless extension of the Sheetz experience, while delivering the same consistency and value customers expect each time they visit.”

Under the partnership, the platform is run by Driivz but is considered Sheetz’s own charging solution, according to the announcement.  

Sheetz has an existing relationship with Vontier as the provider of the infrastructure for Sheetz’s fuel dispensers, automatic tank gauges and submersible turbine pumps.

“What Sheetz is doing is a real-world example of energy expansion and how we are meeting our customers where they are on their energy journey,” said Mark Morelli, president and CEO of Vontier. “It’s a blueprint for how successful companies can deploy EV charging as part of their overall energy solution and provide a consistent customer experience across the forecourt.”