An Unlikely Pair Has Teamed Up to Create EV Charging Stations Spanning 5 States
Volvo and Starbucks are teaming up to build an EV charging network along the west coast to make chargers more accessible to many areas in need of them.
With new ICE car production set to end in 2030, more people will become owners of
electric vehicles.
The auto industry infrastructure is expected to change rapidly in the coming years to prepare for this big shift. One of the top priorities of both automakers and gas stations is creating affordable and accessible EV charging
for all.In some rural areas, you can drive more than 100 miles without seeing a single EV charging station! With this in mind, Volvo and Starbucks have created an innovative new network of charging stations on the west coast.
Electrek
has the details.What you need to know about the Volvo/Starbucks charging network
The two companies started this project to learn more about where drivers prefer to access their EV charging stations. These charging stations will be strategically placed every 100 miles apart, eliminating a good deal of range anxiety.
Four of the states included in the roadmap (Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Colorado) have some of the lowest vehicle-to-charger ratios in the country.
These will be DC fast-chargers, some of which can supply 350 kWh to a vehicle. For a Volvo C40 Recharge, you could regain 70% of the battery in just 40 minutes. Your mileage may vary depending on the battery type and capacity of your EV.
The C40 Recharge only has 230 miles, which has been surpassed by many popular rivals. For instance, a Tesla Model 3 Long Range has 358 miles of range.
InsideEVs
found that fast-chargers can recharge 78% of that range in less than 30 minutes.How many chargers will be built?
Volvo plans to build up to 60 charging stations at 15 Starbucks locations from the state of Washington to Colorado.
Volvo says that this is only the first phase of the project, so it could expand to other states in the future. We can expect all of the planned charging locations to be built by the end of 2022.
While the chargers are Volvo-branded, they're still compatible with EVs from other automakers. You also don't have to make any extra purchases at Starbucks to use the chargers. However, Volvo drivers will get the added benefit of free charging.
What positive changes can we expect from the Volvo/Starbucks charging project?
So far, the only other automaker to have a dedicated supercharging network is Tesla. We hope that this new initiative inspires more automakers to have their own charging networks. As it stands, we have to build
at least 1.5 million new chargers
to meet the projected surplus of EVs.Integrating charging stations into Starbucks locations also seems like a win-win for everyone involved. Since refueling with gas only takes a few minutes, not every gas station has an indoor area where you can relax.
Starbucks has a dedicated indoor seating area, complete with Wi-Fi and delicious beverages. That also means Starbucks will enjoy a few extra sales from EV customers!
The 1,350-mile charging map is also a popular route for road-tripping enthusiasts. It takes you through the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Denver to the Pacific Northwest Trail near Seattle, Washington.
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With better access to public charging, more drivers would be inclined to purchase an electric vehicle. After all, the cost of electricity remains consistent compared to
unpredictable gas prices.
More people driving electric vehicles would undoubtedly also have a positive impact on our environment.As electric vehicles become widely available, it could also lead to price drops in EV insurance. You can save up to $887 per year on an EV coverage policy when you sign up with
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