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Articles by Benton Graham

Benton Graham is a freelance journalist who writes about mobility, immigration, and undertold histories.

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Phillip Stafford has been converted. After two years driving a Tesla, he says there’s no going back to gasoline — the money he saves on fuel alone makes that clear. And since his work as a crisis counselor takes him all over Richmond, Virginia, he charges often.

That’s made him picky about where he buys electrons. On a crisp fall afternoon last month, Stafford had his Model 3 plugged in at a Sheetz. A red and white Wawa sandwich wrapper on the seat hinted at where his heart lies in that convenience store rivalry. Still, brand loyalty only goes so far when the battery is running low. Given a choice between the two, Sheetz wins. “It has more watts, so it charges a little faster,” he said.

Phillip Stafford tends to favor Wawa, but when it’s time for a charge, he leans toward Sheetz. As more fuel retailers offer charging, consumer preferences could shift from who provides the cheapest fuel to who makes waiting for the car to fill up the best experience. Benton Graham

The seemingly small question of where to spend 20 or s... Read more

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