Mercedes-Benz to install EV fast chargers in more than 100 Starbucks locationsThe two companies announced in a press release on Monday.
The first phase will see Mercedes install 400kw DC fast charger at Starbucks locations along the I-5 corridor, the freeway that serves as the site for one of the earliest charging infrastructure projects, known as West Coast Electric Highwaymore than a decade ago. It stretches from Canada to Mexico, passing through Seattle, home of Starbucks.
Mercedes-Benz Electric Vehicle Charging Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia
Mercedes and Starbucks did not specify how many chargers would be installed in the first phase or where subsequent construction phases would focus.
The project follows a Volvo Pilot Programannounced in 2022, will add 60 ChargePoint DC fast chargers at up to 15 Starbucks stores along a 1,350-mile route between Seattle and Denverwith chargers placed every 100 miles.
Mercedes-Benz Electric Vehicle Charging Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia
Mercedes has announced fast charging network in January 2023 and open its first charging site in Sandy Springs, Georgia, near Atlanta, in November. The automaker said it will use Hardware 400 kw exclusive, with amenities such as toilets, vending machines and well-lit charging counters at planned standalone charging centres. These centres will eventually include both the Combined Charging Standard (CCS) and Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector.
The automaker says it has opened a dozen additional charging centers across Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky since its launch in November 2023. It hopes to continue expanding the network to “nearly half” of U.S. states in the next 12 to 18 months. Partnerships like the one with Starbucks will give Mercedes the flexibility to build out its network in locations that might not otherwise be able to afford a dedicated charging center.
