Volvo Car USA and Starbucks have followed through on their plans to open the first public electric-vehicle fast charging network located at some of the coffee company’s U.S. stores.
Fifty Volvo Cars-and-Starbucks-branded DC fast chargers at 15 Starbucks locations along a 1,350-mile route between the Denver area and Seattle make charging Volvo and other fully electric vehicles as easy as going to Starbucks. These chargers, placed about every 100 miles on average, can add up to 110 miles of charge in as little as 15 minutes on 2024 model year and newer Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge models.
The effort gives EV drivers a string of familiar places to recharge themselves and their cars. While their vehicles are recharging outside, drivers and their passengers can relax comfortably inside with their favorite Starbucks beverage.
Drivers of fully electric Volvo models with Google embedded can use the car’s integrated ChargePoint app to find and access stations at participating Starbucks locations, while drivers of other EVs equipped with a standard CCS1 or CHAdeMO receptacle can use the ChargePoint smartphone app.
One of the biggest challenges to EV adoption is the reliability of public charging infrastructure. Volvo Car USA is helping to address this issue by working with Starbucks and ChargePoint to take on the responsibility of maintaining its chargers along the route. A combination of virtual and in-person monitoring supports quick response to problems, minimizing down time and consumer frustration.
