One of the main differences between gas and electric cars is refueling and charging the respective vehicles.
The infrastructure for gas-powered cars is more than well-established. With more than 200,000 gas stations across the U.S., drivers do not have to venture very far or wait very long to fill up a gas tank.
On the other hand, EV owners face a different challenge. Finding a place to charge a battery is slightly harder and can take significantly longer than for the typical combustion-engined gas car. Additionally, unlike gas stations, most of America's charging stations are in weird locations, like in the far corners of a large parking lot, far away from amenities like bathrooms or food options.
However, a new partnership between one of the most recognizable automotive brands and one of the most popular coffee chains is making it easy for EV drivers to fill up their cars and their caffeine levels at the same time.
Mercedes-Benz
The EV charging arm of luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz is teaming up with coffee giant Starbucks (SBUX) to allow drivers to recharge their cars and themselves.
In an announcement on Wednesday, Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging said they plan to install 400 kW DC fast-charging stations at over 100 Starbucks locations nationwide. The first stations will be located at the chain's stores along Interstate 5, which runs from Canada to Mexico along the West Coast.
The new stations are part of the German luxury automaker's plans to litter the world with its charging stations. The brand has a goal of building 2,000 EV charging hubs around the world, and in November 2023, the automaker partnered with Simon Property Group to build 50 charging stations at its malls by 2027.
In the announcement, the two brands said they "share an ambition to identify additional opportunities in key markets, including core urban areas, charging deserts, and other critical travel corridors.
“The collaboration between two leading brands like Mercedes-Benz and Starbucks will uplift the charging experience for all EV drivers,” Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging President and CEO Andrew Cornelia said.
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Unlike gas cars, waiting for EVs to charge can be dull. While gas cars can be filled up in five minutes, electric cars can take up to an hour to recharge, depending on the size of the battery and the energy output from the chargers themselves.
However, since Mercedes intends to install its ultra-fast 400 kW charging stations at Starbucks locations, a fully charged-up EV can be ready by the time its drivers walk out with their lattes, macchiatos, frappuccinos, pink drinks, or whatever TikTok-famous "secret menu" concoctions that its baristas can whip up.
Using a 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE RWD, with its 77.4 kWh battery as an example, drivers can expect to charge up in less than 7 minutes when at Starbucks.
Mercedes is not the only automaker that Starbucks has partnered with to offer EV charging. In December 2023, Volvo opened the first of its public fast-charging EV chargers at Starbucks locations and plans to operate 50 fast-chargers at 15 locations along a 1,350-mile route between Denver and Seattle.
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