In an effort to convince drivers that long road trips are possible with an electric vehicle, Tesla Motors is discussing expanding its network of charging stations with the help of gas station/convenience store chain Sheetz.

Sheetz operates hundereds of retail outlets in six states, with the bulk of those in the mid-Atlantic region. There are already eight Sheetz locations where EV owners can charge their cars, and soon there could be more.

“We’ve had discussions with them about putting their chargers in our stores,” Michael Lorenz, Sheetz’s executive vice president of petroleum supply, told The Washington Post. “We haven’t done anything yet, but we’re continuing those discussions.”

Tesla is staying mum on the talks with Sheetz but said that it’s actively courting gas stations, hotels, and restaurants as part of its effort to expand its network of high-speed electric chargers.

While EV ownership is on the rise as the cars become more affordable, few gas stations are jumping on the charging bandwagon right now. That’s because traditional cars only take a few minutes to fill up, thus, spots at the pump turn over rather quickly. Charging a car can take 15 minutes or more if you want to get enough juice for a long haul trip, meaning fewer cars can come in and fewer drivers are tempted to buy snacks at convenience stores.

In places like California, scarcity of charging stations has led to some rather bad behavior, with EV owners unplugging each other’s cars, fighting at the plug, and forming secret alliances to trade spots in corporate parking lots.

Tesla’s quiet talks with this company could help redefine the gas station as we know it [The Washington Post]

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