Running out of charging stations is a nightmare for all electric vehicle owners. To address this, Mercedes-Benz has turned to the world’s largest coffee chain… yes, Starbucks.

When we're exhausted, we often think about having a cup of coffee to recharge. But did you know? In the future, when you visit Starbucks, you won't just recharge yourself—you'll also be able to charge your electric vehicle.

In mid-July 2024, Mercedes-Benz and Starbucks announced a powerful partnership to install fast-charging stations for electric vehicles at over 100 Starbucks location along Interstate 5 in the U.S. The stations will emphasize 100% green energy, be compatible with electric vehicles, and support various payment methods. This highway stretches across the western United States, from Canada in the north to Mexico in the south. Mercedes-Benz CEO Andrew Cornelia stated that in the future, there will be no more 'range anxiety' from the Canadian border all the way down to San Diego.

Mercedes-Benz plans to establish 2,000 charging centers worldwide.

Transforming hundreds of Starbucks into charging stations is part of the ambitious plan of this century-old German automaker: By 2030, Mercedes-Benz aims to invest $1 billion to establish 2,000 electric vehicle charging centers worldwide, with over 10,000 charging stations, which Mercedes-Benz calls the ''High-Power Charging Network.''

The site selection focuses on “urban core areas, charging deserts, and major transportation corridors.”

The background of this collaboration is that electric vehicle sales in the U.S. have grown slower than expected and have hit a ceiling. Reasons include the insufficient availability of charging stations and poor charging experience.

Everyone knows that the number of charging stations and electric vehicles is a classic chicken-and-egg problem. However, setting up charging stations is not just about deep pockets; it also involves finding real estate partners who can provide space for installing charging stations, transformers, and load centers.

Moreover, charging an electric vehicle is not as quick as refueling, which can be done in 5 minutes. Charging can take up to an hour. Even at the 400kW fast-charging stations developed in collaboration with Starbucks, it takes nearly 20 minutes to charge some electric vehicle batteries from 10% to 80% (the speed varies depending on hardware, temperature, and other factors).

Does this 20 minutes to an hour of waiting mean drivers will have to sit idly in their cars? 

Charging needs to seamlessly and pleasantly integrate into daily life.

The convenience and time required for charging are the biggest concerns for electric vehicle owners, yet many charging stations are located in inconvenient places, such as remote corners of parking lots. There are often no nearby amenities like restrooms or restaurants, making the waiting time even more difficult.

Charging at Starbucks solves these problems. With over 17,000 Starbucks locations across the U.S., most of which are conveniently located, they make excellent real estate partners. While charging, drivers can enjoy a latte, cool off, browse the internet, and relax, upgrading the charging experience on-site.

Cornelia admits that the collaboration with Starbucks is ''about how to make charging seamlessly, elegantly, and pleasantly integrate into our daily lives. We focus on what you can do while charging and how to truly transform the charging experience.''

Not only can you have coffee while charging, but you can also shop for groceries and watch movies.

Mercedes-Benz is certainly not the first automaker to consider this issue. Another German manufacturer, Volkswagen, strategically places charging stations in the parking lots of retail giants like Walmart and Target, allowing drivers to shop for groceries while charging. Tesla plans to build supercharging stations in Hollywood with 24-hour restaurants and drive-in movie theaters.

For Starbucks, this partnership is a win-win. It not only helps reduce consumers' carbon footprints, contributing to its goal of halving carbon emissions by 2030, but also attracts electric vehicle owners. By catering to their charging needs, Starbucks can secure these customers as regulars.

Charging electric vehicles is a cost-free opportunity for Starbucks.

The key is that it's a cost-free venture for Starbucks. Starbucks only needs to provide space in its parking lots and does not incur any construction or installation costs. Half of these costs are covered by Mercedes-Benz, while the other half is borne by MN8 Energy, a solar and energy storage startup spun off from Goldman Sachs.

Mercedes-Benz is not the first automaker to partner with Starbucks. In 2022, Volvo collaborated with Starbucks to set up 15 charging stations along the highway from Seattle to Denver and plans to establish locations on the East Coast.

Currently, there are approximately 188,000 electric vehicle charging stations in the U.S. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that at least 28 million will be needed by 2030.

Caffeine helps to invigorate, but whether it can assist in growing the number of charging stations in the U.S. by a hundredfold in six years, break through the sales ceiling for electric vehicles, and accelerate the decarbonization of American transportation remains to be seen.

※ This article is reprinted with permission from CSR@天下, with the original title 'Mercedes-Benz and Starbucks Join Forces: Hundreds of Starbucks Locations on the West Coast Turn into Charging Stations, Selling Coffee While Reducing Carbon Emissions.' Not applicable to CC licensing terms.

Source: Environmental Information Center