Starbucks & Volvo Cars Choose Locations For 60 EV Fast Chargers
There are not a lot of places outside of my house or a sports facility where I’d like to hang out for an hour+. However, coffee shops fit the bill. I can relax, enjoy a coffee, and work in a comfortable manner in a coffee shop. If I had a bit more of a normal job, I could just do the relaxing and coffee sipping. In any case, coffee shops are just the kind of places that are perfect hot spots for chargers for electric vehicles. Starbucks knows that, and, apparently, so does Volvo Cars.
We wrote about the Volvo Cars–Starbucks–ChargePoint collaboration in March, but the corporate visionaries are back in the news again thanks to Volvo Cars and Starbucks finalizing the locations of the 60 EV (DC) fast chargers they are planning to launch. These will be at as many as 15 Starbucks locations along a 1,350 mile route.
The first two Starbucks stores to get these EV chargers will be in Provo, Utah, and Grand Junction, Colorado. (If you have the chance, Provo is also famous for its great standup comedy shows at Dry Bar Comedy.) At the Provo location (East Bay — University & 9th, 979 S University Ave.), 4 of these EV fast chargers have already been installed. They will be activated by the end of August.
Other cities that will be home to ChargePoint DC fast chargers at Starbucks stores include Seattle, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Denver. And then there’s the wilderness. “From the Snoqualmie Pass in Washington, stretching the Snake River in Idaho, spanning Arches National Park in Utah and connecting outdoor destinations like Park City and Vail, the route represents the American road trip at its best.”
When the chargers are installed across the route, by the end of this year, there is supposed to be one ChargePoint fast charger every 100 miles.
“Partnerships like this are hugely important as we continue to move towards a more sustainable, electrified future,” said Anders Gustafsson, SVP Americas Region and President and CEO, Volvo Car USA. “Together with Starbucks and ChargePoint, we are creating an EV charging network that can fit seamlessly into everyday life. It’s a great compliment to Volvo Cars’ mission to give people the freedom to move in safe, sustainable and personal ways, and we look forward to the many ways we can make a positive impact together.”
“Public EV charging should be as easy as getting a great cup of coffee — and now, it can be,” said Michael Kobori, Starbucks chief sustainability officer. “We look forward to continuing this partnership with Volvo and ChargePoint, exploring new ways to enhance the Starbucks Experience and inviting customers on our journey to become a resource positive company.”
“With Volvo and Starbucks, we’re creating a premium EV driving experience between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Northwest with Starbucks and Volvo Cars,” said Pasquale Romano, CEO of ChargePoint. “Through our partnership, EV drivers will have the opportunity to quickly fuel their vehicles at Starbucks locations along one of America’s most scenic byways.”
Other cities getting these EV fast chargers at Starbucks locations include:
- Seattle, WA
- Issaquah, WA
- Yakima, WA
- Hermiston, OR
- La Grande, OR
- Nampa, ID
- Twin Falls, ID
- Uintah, ID
- Sandy, UT
- Provo, UT
- Grand Junction, CO
- Glenwood Springs, CO
- Silverthorne, CO
- Idaho Springs, CO
- Broomfield, CO
If you’ve gotten this far and still don’t fully understand Volvo Cars’ role in this, no worries, it hasn’t been clear. However, it is indeed simple. Volvo Cars drivers using these charging stations will get to charge for free. That sounds pretty good.
All images courtesy of Volvo Cars.
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