Coffee giant Starbucks is giving its sustainability halo a buff with an agreement to install at least 100 more electronic vehicle (EV) charging stations in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz.
The rollout will be two-phased, according to the coffee giant. Initially, an undisclosed number of Starbucks units along U.S. Interstate 5, a major venue that parallels the Pacific coastline, will add the devices. The 1,400-mile highway extends from Washington, Starbucks’ home state, into California.
The companies did not reveal the timing of the installations.
As a second step, an undisclosed number of Starbucks cafes elsewhere will be outfitted with the chargers. The partners in the venture did not specify when and where those stations will be installed.
The addition of those chargers would raise the number of Starbucks units where customers can recharge their EVs to more than 1,000 nationwide. That tally makes it one of the industry’s leaders in embracing charging stations as another customer amenity.
Other operators that have pledged install the devices include the sister truckstop chains Pilot and Flying J; Subway; Taco Bell; and Cracker Barrel. In addition, the EV manufacturer Tesla has leaked plans to develop a string of retro-themed restaurants where owners can get a charge.
The Biden administration estimated in January that about 170,000 public EV chargers were in operation at that time. The White House is pushing measures that are intended to make EVs the nation’s best-selling vehicles by 2032. Those efforts include fostering the manufacture of the chargers here in the U.S.
The particulars of Starbucks’ agreement with Mercedes-Benz were not revealed. Earlier, the beverage specialist had announced a deal with Volvo to set up 20 EV charging stations along I-5.
Experts say gas-electric hybrid vehicles continue to outsell EVs in the United States in part because the network of electric charging stations still sports large gaps. The I-5 corridor is seen as a particularly important stretch to cover because California leads the nation by far in car sales, with residents buying 12.5% of all autos sold domestically, according to the data site Knoema.com.
“The collaboration between two leading brands like Mercedes-Benz and Starbucks will uplift the charging experience for all EV drivers,” Andrew Cornelia, CEO of Mercedes-Benz’s high-power charging operations, said in a statement. “We envision a future where charging your vehicle is as easy as enjoying your favorite Starbucks.”
Restaurants adding the stations voice hopes that passengers will pop in for a meal or a coffee while their vehicles are charging. Some sites charge users for use of the devices.
This story first appeared in Restaurant Business.
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