ChargePoint announced today that it has installed the first-ever electric vehicle charger at Starbucks as the partnership between Volvo and ChargePoint officially kicked off. The partnership was first announced in March, and ChargePoint will supply and fund 60 charging locations at 15 Starbucks Coffee locations along a 1,350-mile route between Denver and Seattle. Out of the 60 locations, 60 chargers will provide charging for all vehicles at a fee or at a discount for Volvo owners. The chargers will be placed roughly every 100 miles, so that those who wish to charge their electric vehicle can sit and eat at Starbucks while they wait for their vehicle to charge. Tesla drivers will not be able to utilise the chargers, which will be equipped with CCS and CHAdeMO connectors.
Representatives from each company were happy to announce that they would be collaborating, especially since their objectives aligned so well. Volvo has previously promised to be 100% electric by 2030, Starbucks stated that it would reduce its carbon footprint by 50% by the end of the decade, and ChargePoint is continuing to expand in order to ensure electric vehicles become an increasingly popular alternative to ICE vehicles.
Starbucks’ Chief Sustainability Officer Michael Kobori stated that “access to EV charging should be as easy as getting a great cup of coffee – and now, it can be.” Volvo Cars USA CEO Anders Gustafsson commented, “Volvo Cars is about giving people the freedom to move in safe, sustainable and personal ways.” While ChargePoint CEO, Pasquale Romano, stated that “with Volvo and Starbucks, we’re creating a premium EV driving experience between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Northwest.”