Volvo and Starbucks have announced that the two companies are collaborating to pilot adding charging stations at the latter’s U.S. locations. This will be supported by ChargePoint and will see the installation of up to 60 Volvo-branded DC chargers at around 15 Starbucks stores along a 1,350-mile stretch connecting Denver, Colorado with Seattle, Washington. The plan aims to add a charging station at roughly every 100 miles, which is within the range of the majority of battery-electric vehicles on sale today.
ChargePoint’s DC chargers will allow BEVs like the Volvo C40 Recharge to go from 20 to 90 percent in roughly 40 minutes. This means you can plug your vehicle in and go relax with your favorite Starbucks beverage. Volvo vehicles equipped with Google’s Android Automotive interface can use the ChargePoint app to find and access charging stations at participating Starbucks locations. Those without the newer interface can access the same information via the ChargePoint app. Drivers of other BEVs will be able to use the station for a fee while Volvo owners will get extra perks like complimentary charging or lower rates.
“Volvo Cars wants to give people the freedom to move and lower their impact on the environment,” said Anders Gustafsson, Senior Vice President of the Americas and President and CEO of Volvo Car USA. “Working with Starbucks we can do that by giving them enjoyable places to relax while their cars recharge.”
Michael Kobori, Chief Sustainability Officer of Starbucks stated that they are thrilled to partner with Volvo on this pilot project and test how customers can charge their vehicles at Starbucks locations. Starbucks aims to be a leader in decarbonization solutions within the retail industry. In addition to electrified vehicle charging, it is investing in on-site solar availability at its stores.
The installation of the DC chargers on the route between Colorado and Washington state is expected to finish by the end of 2022. This will provide BEV drivers with more places to charge on long drives between the two states, allowing them to better plan their breaks with charging stops. However, the release doesn’t say how much power these DC charging stations will be able to put out. Some of ChargePoint’s DC chargers are good for up to 125 kW of peak power delivery. Other providers like EVGo and Electrify America have stations that put out 350 kW, allowing vehicles that can DC charge at peak rates of over 150 kW to take advantage of the extra power. Volvo’s upcoming BEVs based on its SPA2 architecture will have an 800-volt charging architecture that will allow them to accept more power.
Currently, Volvo has two BEVs, the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge. Both are underpinned by the CMA platform shared with the Polestar 2 and internal combustion XC40 models. They can travel 223 and 226 miles respectively on a single charge and DC Charge at peak rates of up to 150 kW. Volvo’s upcoming three-row crossover will use the SPA2 platform specifically developed for BEVs, which will be shared with the Polestar 3 and the next XC60, which is due out in 2024. Smaller Volvo models will eventually transition from the CMA platform to the new PMA architecture codeveloped with Geely.
