Charging An EV While Grabbing Starbucks Is Now A Reality
The biggest variable holding the automotive industry back from fully embracing electric vehicles (EVs) in large quantities is the presence and multitude of charging stations, but Volvo might have the solution, as it plans to bring new charging stations to select Starbucks locations in the western United States this summer. Mainstream consumers know firsthand how easy it is to find a standard gasoline or diesel fueling station on the road — and even though gasoline prices are rising around the world — it’s fair to say most of them would rather stick to fueling at gas stations than take a chance with electric charging stations.
Volvo, the Swedish luxury automaker with a multinational presence, hasn’t cowered away from the potential that comes with emerging technology and EVs. Despite being a traditional combustion-engine car manufacturer, the company has made headlines due to its experimentation in these new technologies. In its home country Sweden, Volvo is working on wirelessly-charging parked EVs. Though wireless charging is extremely prevalent in consumer products like smartphones and earbuds, scaling the tech up to electric vehicles is a significant challenge. While they’re far from the only company working on the technology — Hyundai’s Genesis division of luxury cars is working on similar wireless charging — it demonstrates Volvo’s commitment to mainstream EVs.
The company is also planning on making mainstream EVs more accessible by adding fast chargers to Starbucks locations, Volvo announced in a press release. The installation will be making use of ChargePoint charging stations, which are compatible with a wide range of electric vehicles. Of course, the stations are Volvo-branded and have been tailored to meet the needs of the newest Volvo EVs, including the Volvo C40 Recharge. During testing, the fast chargers brought the C4o from 20 percent to 90 percent charge in roughly 40 minutes, the company claims. The exact charging times will vary due to external factors, like ambient temperature, battery temperature, and the car’s condition.
The charging stations are initially designed to be a part of a pilot program, on a set route from Denver, Colorado to Seattle, Washington. The plan is designed to reach Starbucks’ corporate headquarters in Seattle and service the western United States. In total, the route is 1,350-mile stretch of roadway that ensures travelers will be near a charging station roughly every 100 miles. Since most EVs have ranges in excess of 100 miles, the plan should make it easier for drivers to take extended road trips in their electric cars.
To start, the pilot program will install as many as 60 ChargePoint fast-charging stations at 15 Starbucks locations along the route, but if the program is successful, the company could expand to additional locations. The ChargePoint network has been in production since 2007, and is one of the largest charging networks around the world. It can charge a variety of electric vehicles, and a plan to bring the network to Starbucks coffee shops could be the quick solution to charging concerns as the market for EVs expands.
Source: Volvo