As the world sees the advancement of the electric vehicle platform, more players want to get a share of the lucrative benefits offered by this domain.
The recent company to join the bandwagon is Starbucks which has joined hands with the Swedish automaker Volvo.
Collaboration Between Volvo & Starbucks
According to recent reports, the two companies are now looking to collaborate for the establishment of 60 ChargePoint DC fast chargers in between Seattle and Denver.
These EV charging stations will be set up at Starbucks outlets in 15 different locations.
It is to be kept in mind that the distance between these two locations is around 2170 km and thus looking at it from a critical point of view, the number of chargers doesn’t seem much.
But it is worth noting that this is being taken as a pilot project for now. In case the results are according to the expectations of Volvo, the company will invest further in expanding the network.
How Far Will These Chargers Be Located From One Another?
According to Volvo, all chargers will be installed at a distance of around 160 km from each other. The distance has been wisely calculated as this number is less than the maximum range of almost all-electric vehicles in existence.
The entire charging infrastructure is expected to be installed by the end of the current year.
An Ideal Stopover For The Average American
Starbucks which is already the favourite place of most Americans is likely to become even more beloved.
These Starbucks coffee shops will not just refresh the humans visiting them but also, literally, charge up their electric vehicles as well.
Volvo’s Fast Charging System
The charging system that will be installed in these locations can charge the company’s C40 Recharge EV from 20% to 90% in just 40 minutes.
Considering that most people make stopovers of more than 20 minutes on average, these EV chargers will boost the range of their electric vehicles substantially.
Why Is Volvo Doing So?
So, why is the company undertaking this major move? Here are the reasons:
To Increase Its Market Share
This is the latest move from Volvo to get more sales shares in the US. Tesla is presently the number one EV manufacturer globally.
Volvo still has a long way to go if it wants to catch Tesla up. This is one of the innovative mechanisms adopted by the company in a bid to expand its market share.
The automaker is heavily invested in transitioning 50% of its sales to the electric platform by the year 2025. Besides this, it wants to completely switch over to the electric domain by 2030.
The company is currently looking forward to launching seven new electric vehicles out of which five are likely to be fully electric.
To Reduce Environmental Impact Of ICE Vehicles On The Planet
The company’s Senior Vice President & CEO of Volvo Cars USA Anders Gustafsson stated:
“Volvo Cars wants to give people the freedom to move and lower their impact on the environment”.
This is why Volvo has chosen Starbucks as the location where EV lovers would love to stop for getting their EV recharged.
Who Will These EV Chargers Serve?
Volvo has not restricted the access of these charging stations to its own EV owners, rather anyone with a ChargePoint account will have access to them.
But for favouring its own EVs over others, the company might offer free of cost charging to Volvo EVs or offer them the services at relatively lower rates.
How To Locate These ChargePoint Stations?
So, it seems a great idea and EV owners will be able to fully benefit from them. However, this brings us to the question that how can Volvo EV owners locate these chargers?
The answer is simple. There are two different ways to do so:
– Using the ChargePoint app integrated into the vehicle’s dash system;
– Using the ChargePoint smartphone app.
Final Verdict
This is a positive step from Volvo in the right direction. Both Volvo & Starbucks will benefit from the partnership.
Besides this, EV owners will get a comfortable spot to charge their EVs while they sip their favourite hot drinks.
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