Much has been said and written about the death of the third place—spaces where we meet people and socialize that are not work or home. While my work driving electrification forward means I’m all for tech advancements, the race to automation has indeed slashed the human aspect of what used to be more personal services. Third places to mingle outside of work and home have grown obsolete, sparking a startling loneliness epidemic amid a lack of in-person connection. Gen Zers, the top victims of this crisis wielding an ever-increasing buying power, are now calling out companies to turn back the clock and begin taking the third place’s demise seriously.
Community is a key cultural value that I challenge my team to embrace in their day-to-day work. It’s not an obvious position for an infrastructure company. Yes, we want to put steel in the ground, pull conduit, and energize locations. But how do we build purposefully to make someone’s life just a little bit easier, more seamless, and delightful?
Our technological evolutions shouldn’t come at the expense of our sense of community. Most people wouldn’t immediately think of EV charging stations as hot spots for community. I’d go so far as to say even most EV industry insiders don't hold this view either. After all, when was the last time you met up with a friend at a gas station? However, EV charging doesn’t have to be an isolating chore, it could become a chance to make the most of those natural 20-minute breaks in our day. If we get it right, we can transform the actual act of charging from a detour into a destination.
In its nascent days, the EV charging industry has rightfully placed a focus on quantity, building a critical mass of public chargers to ease range anxiety and drive EV adoption. And yet, range anxiety persists and remains a barrier to EV adoption. However, with the basics like access and volume steadily improving, we’re at an inflection point. Leaders in our field have a unique opportunity to turn the tide and infuse humanity back into the EV experience.
I try not to let the current EV charging obstacles, like wondering which type of plug to use or if the equipment will be fast and reliable, cloud the way we approach innovation. I instead look to the future of charging infrastructure where the fundamental issues are conquered, and the inevitable experiential shortcomings rise to the surface.
So, our challenge now becomes how we can transform time—a highly valued commodity for all generations—into useful time for consumers.
A few years back, I struck up a conversation with the driver charging next to me on the way to Lake Tahoe. We exchanged the typical EV driver dialogue about our respective vehicles and tech that each touted. Once this back and forth subsided, we realized the depth of our shared interests and by the end of the charging session swapped numbers to keep in touch. Over the years we’ve developed a genuine friendship, meeting up for coffee when our circles intersect and even traveling together.
My experience is not unique. The charging experience has little moments scattered throughout when connections can be nurtured and memories can be made. And EV drivers are already organically searching for these chances to find this community. That’s why we’re thinking ahead to curate these kinds of third-place experiences with site partners like Starbucks and Simon Property Group, to name a few. Other emerging networks are adapting this mindset as well, from Rove tapping independent grocer Gelson’s to open a premium convenience store to Rivian’s Adventure Network popping up near national parks.
Based on our data, when asked what would make U.S. customers consistently return to a charging station, 40% of respondents ranked their experience around charging as the #1 influence, with getting the chance to interact with fellow EV drivers noted as a core motivator in open responses. Additionally, over half (58%) of customers prefer to spend their charge time dining in a restaurant surrounded by others instead of waiting alone in their cars.
And the EV industry won’t be alone in its effort to purposefully design infrastructure around a third-place concept. Major franchises are already beginning to adjust their strategies to align with consumers’ demand for socialization. Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol recently commented publicly on his plans to take Starbucks back to its roots as a location for people to meet in between work and home and feel comfortable.
It’s clear consumers are looking for authentic experiences to break out of the loneliness crisis. Service providers across a broad landscape of industries can today start to shape their offerings to promote a cultural shift.
EV charging signals a new horizon for the third place in unlikely spaces that encourage a strong sense of belonging while still driving the bottom line. We are on the hook to create experiences that foster community and conversation, not the bare minimum necessities that get the job done.
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