Fuels

Plaid Pantry Cuts the Ribbon for Its 1st EV Charger

Portland, Oregon, installation marks the debut for Electric Era Technologies
Plaid Pantry, Electric Era
Photograph: Shutterstock. Plaid Pantry, Electric Era

Plaid Pantry has unveiled its first electric-vehicle (EV) charging station in Portland, Oregon. The installation is the first from Electric Era Technologies, which is planning launch more than 10 commercial stations across the United States before the end of 2023.

The Plaid Pantry installation is the first-of-its-kind deployment for Electric Era’s patented AC-coupled microgrid EV fast charging technology, which combines battery and grid power in real time to distribute to EVs when they charge. The technology uses 25% of the typical draw from legacy EV chargers on the electrical grid, from 800kW down to 200kW, allowing operators to avoid demand-based operating expenses and bolstering the reliability of aging infrastructure.

“We’re proud to lead the way in providing our Portland-area customers with premium, reliable EV fast charging,” said Jonathan Polonsky, chairman and CEO of Plaid Pantry. “Our customers value and trust the quality and convenience that is synonymous with Plaid Pantry. Now, as the go-to location to quickly charge their EV in minutes while making a pit stop or picking up snacks for the road, Plaid Pantry is modeling the future of refill for customers.”

Since its beta launch at the Plaid Pantry store in October, the PowerNode charging station has a 99.85% session reliability and more than 200 vehicle charging sessions, according to Electric Era. A 10-minute charge from the PowerNode charging station can typically deliver 100 miles of range, depending on the vehicle age and onboard technology, said the company.

“Today marks a critical milestone in our mission to power the future of EV transportation and bring fast charging to EV drivers when and where they need it, while delivering new revenue streams and customers to quick service retailers across the US,” said Quincy Lee, CEO of Electric Era. “Not only are we increasing access to affordable fast charging in the communities where we all work, travel and play, our patented battery-buffer technology brings industry-leading reliability while reducing the burden on our overtaxed electrical grids.”

Launched by former SpaceX engineers in 2019, Electric Era Technologies’ mission is to enable the electrification and decarbonization of the transportation industry by making EV fast charging ubiquitous, reliable and affordable. Its proprietary PowerNode EV charging stations and AI-driven software platform deliver high-speed, electrical grid-friendly charging at gas stations, convenience stores and quick-service retailers across the United States.

  • Plaid Pantry is No. 71 on CSP's 2023 Top 202 ranking of convenience-store chains by store count.

Plaid Pantry, a 24-hour convenience store based in Beaverton, Oregon, is a Pacific Northwest regional convenience chain, located mostly around Portland, Oregon. It dates to 1963 and offers a variety of convenience items, beverages, expanded craft beer selection, local wines and fresh foods at value prices. It aims to be an easy-to-get-to, bicycle-friendly neighborhood corner store.

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