Starbucks in EV charging partnership with Mercedes-Benz
Starbucks Corp. will electrify select stores around the country with fast chargers for electric vehicles.
The coffee giant is collaborating with Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging to place high-powered EV chargers at more than 100 Starbucks locations nationwide. During the first phase of the program, the chargers will be installed at Starbucks stores along Interstate 5, a West Coast travel corridor spanning from Canada to Mexico that cuts through cities such as Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The two companies intend to identify additional opportunities in key markets, including core urban areas, charging deserts (areas lacking publicly accessible EV chargers), and other major travel corridors.
"At Starbucks, we have a long history of bringing renewable and clean energy projects to connect communities that lack this infrastructure," said Michael Kobori, Starbucks chief sustainability officer. "Partnering with Mercedes is the next step in expanding our EV charging network so our customers can refuel sustainably while they enjoy Starbucks."
Starbucks locations on the I-5 route will feature the Alpitronic Hypercharger 400, which are equipped with NACS cables and have the capability to support vehicles with a wide voltage range.
"The collaboration between two leading brands like Mercedes-Benz and Starbucks will uplift the charging experience for all EV drivers," said Andrew Cornelia, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging. "Together, we seek to infuse delight into this facet of EV ownership through intentional experiences that make drivers genuinely excited to plug in."
Starbucks’ renewable energy projects, including EV charging, are part of a broader company commitment to cut its waste and carbon emissions from direct operations in half by 2030 as part of its goal to one day be "resource positive."
In 2022, Starbucks launched a pilot with Volvo to make Volvo-branded EV chargers, powered by ChargePoint, will be available at up to 15 Starbucks stores along a 1,350-mile route from the Denver area to the coffee company’s Seattle headquarters.
[READ MORE: Starbucks to phase out iconic cup; launch pilot EV charging network at its stores]
Currently, more than 1,000 company-operated and licensed Starbucks stores in the U.S. have nearby access to EV charging.
Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Seattle, Starbucks Coffee Company operates more than 38,000 stores worldwide.
