CITGO Petroleum Corporation, along with Folk Oil Company, recently launched an EV charging pilot program in Battle Creek, Michigan.
A CITGO location in the city now offers both petroleum fuels and EV charging stations. The EV chargers include both the Combined Charging System (CCS) and the North American Charging Standard (NACS) plugs.
For the program, CITGO devised an internal model to assess the viability of EV sites and collaborated with national electrical company AGI for implementation, the company said. AGI will work with stores throughout the process, in addition to facilitating access to available grants via the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula program, the Inflation Reduction Act and U.S. Department of Transportation's Utilities program.
“Instead of a store receiving a monthly rent for EV Charger installation, the CITGO program provides upfront assistance, while still giving the marketer full ownership of the installed EV charger," Kevin Kinney, CITGO general manager of brand equity, said.
"We need to provide offerings that meet all types of transportation needs for our consumers," said Jim Linton, president of Folk Oil Company, "so we appreciate how CITGO is approaching the EV space in a way that ensures its marketers' success. Working together, we were able to pinpoint the best location to launch this program."
"We offer an extensive range of EV charger brands, giving CITGO locations the flexibility to choose the best solution for their site," said Brad Hinkley, vice president of business development for AGI's ELM division. "With so many moving parts in the EV space, we're here to provide a streamlined program that covers everything from charger selection to post-installation maintenance."
Homer, Michigan-based Folk Oil Company Inc. currently manages 43 retail convenience stores in south central Michigan and northern Ohio. Folk Oil Company convenience stores operate under the name of PS Food Mart.
CITGO Petroleum Corporation operates under the CITGO brand. CITGO owns and operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, Louisiana; Lemont, Illinois; and Corpus Christi, Texas.