Starbucks to Lure Customers by Installing EV Charg
Post# of 960
Electric cars may not be as convenient as fossil fuel cars yet, but companies across the country are working hard to change this. From installing public chargers along roads across the country to providing facilities to keep EV drivers comfortable while their vehicles charge, much is being done to make EVs more convenient.
But there’s a big difference between EVs and regular cars. While internal combustion engine cars almost exclusively get their fuel from gas stations, around 85% of all EV charging happens at home. Most EV drivers will only need to use a commercial charger when they have long journeys.
Even with super-fast charging and a compatible electric car, it will take around 20 minutes to charge. Depending on the charging speeds, this can mean a wait of up to 45 minutes to an hour. Starbucks is looking to capitalize on these wait times.
Fast Company reports that Starbucks plans on installing electric vehicle chargers on its parking lots in partnership with Chargepoint and Volvo. The partnership will see 60 DC fast chargers installed every 100 miles at 15 locations along a 1,350-mile route connecting Denver to Seattle.
Starbucks chief sustainability officer Michael Kobori calls this route a “charging desert” as it has few charging stations. He says that it makes sense to pair EV charging with Starbucks because it gives EV drivers time to eat, rest and plan the rest of their route while their cars are charging.
Starbucks locations in Idaho will soon be home to DC fast chargers that will serve both travelers and local residents. Chargepoint and Volvo will handle all the legal processes involved and install the charging stations.
According to Kobori, the planned network of charging stations will provide much-needed infrastructure to underserved communities as the route goes through numerous federal opportunity zones. Starbucks will assess usage rates in the pilot program before determining whether or not it will expand the EV charging service nationally.
At the moment, electric vehicles make up a small percentage of the vehicles on the road. They are too expensive for most Americans, and the lack of widespread and reliable public charging infrastructure makes the cost of owning an EV even higher as owners may have to install chargers at home.
However, as the cost of manufacturing EVs becomes cheaper and their cost drops, more and more drivers will need a place to relax while their electric cars charge. Alongside Starbucks, many more companies will undoubtedly use this to their fiscal advantage. The net result is that EV manufacturers, such as Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) could see the growing interest in electric vehicles turn into actual sales.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MULN
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the Green Car Stocks website applicable to all content provided by GCS, wherever published or re-published: https://www.GreenCarStocks.com/Disclaimer