More Save Mart stores join EV charging station promo program

The Save Mart Cos. has expanded a marketing program with electric vehicle (EV) charging partner EVgo Inc. to more of its stores.

Called EVgo Advantage, the platform allows drivers to use promotions delivered from EVgo once a charging session is initiated at a participating store. Los Angeles-based EVgo said yesterday that it will now add seven more Lucky California and Save Mart supermarkets to the program, on top of the five Lucky/Lucky California locations that have been running the EV station promos since EVgo Advantage began in 2019.

Save Mart first partnered with EVgo in 2015 with the launch of EV stations at a Lucky store in Fremont, Calif. (Photo courtesy of EVgo)

The EVgo Advantage promotions are delivered to drivers via text, email and mobile app and are designed to incentivize shopping and boost incremental foot traffic for at the retail site hosts, according to the companies.

“Many of our customers are transitioning to electric vehicles, and the expansion of the EVgo Advantage program is a natural next step for The Save Mart Cos.,” Hal Levitt, senior vice president of retail operations and supply chain at Modesto, Calif.-based Save Mart, said in a statement. “Over the last three years, our customers have charged more than 5 million minutes on EVgo chargers at our stores, and we look forward to adding these additional convenient charging stations to drive greater benefits for our customers and continue our ongoing commitments to sustainability initiatives.” 

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The Save Mart Cos. first teamed up with EVgo in late 2015, when the grocer installed the first and — at the time — the nation’s largest publicly available, multi-standard fast-charging site at the Lucky supermarket in Fremont, Calif. Since then, Save Mart has expanded to 32 EVgo fast chargers and two L2 chargers at its stores in California. 

EVgo noted that the Advantage program helps retailers differentiate themselves from competitors, add store traffic from EV-charging customers, and deliver more value to EV drivers through loyalty-building promos that enable them to shop while they charge. The company said an EVgo survey found that 80% of EV drivers shop while charging their vehicles, and 45% of those EVgo charging sessions led to new, incremental shopping visits. 

Powered by 100% renewable energy, EVgo’s EV charging network includes more than 800 fast-charging locations serving over 68 metropolitan areas across 35 states and overn 310,000 customer accounts.

“EVgo sites our chargers where drivers want to be, and where better to charge than at a grocery store with a coupon for your weekly shop,” commented EVgo CEO Cathy Zoi. “Research shows that consumers are drawn to promotions, and we are pleased to offer an additional way to drive customer loyalty to our site-host partners through EVgo Advantage. We are thrilled to expand our partnership and add more locations to the Advantage program at Save Mart stores and ultimately provide greater access to sustainable energy solutions for the communities they serve.” 

Related:The Save Mart Cos. to test AI-powered platform for produce department

Overall, Save Mart Cos. operates 206 stores in California and Nevada under the banners Save Mart, Lucky and Lucky California (supermarkets); FoodMaxx (warehouse grocery stores); and MaxxValue (discount grocery).