Mercedes-Benz will install EV fast chargers at over 100 Starbucks locations, the two companies announced Monday in a press release.
The initial phase will see Mercedes install 400-kw DC fast chargers at Starbucks locations along the I-5 corridor, the highway route that served as the location for one of the earliest charging infrastructure projects, known as the West Coast Electric Highway, over a decade ago. It stretches from Canada to Mexico, passing through Starbucks' home city of Seattle.
Mercedes-Benz EV Charging Hub in Sandy Springs, Georgia
Mercedes and Starbucks didn't say how many chargers would be installed in the first phase, or what locations subsequent phases of the buildout would focus on.
The project follows a Volvo pilot program, announced in 2022, to add up to 60 ChargePoint DC fast chargers at up to 15 Starbucks stores along a 1,350-mile route between Seattle and Denver, with chargers placed every 100 miles.
Mercedes-Benz EV Charging Hub in Sandy Springs, Georgia
Mercedes announced its fast-charging network in January 2023, and opened the first charging site in Sandy Springs, Georgia, near Atlanta, in November. The automaker has said it will use 400-kw hardware exclusively, with amenities like restrooms, vending machines, and well-lit charging stalls at planned standalone charging hubs. These hubs will eventually include both Combined Charging Standard (CCS) and Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors.
The automaker claims to have opened a dozen additional charging hubs across Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky since the November 2023 launch. It expects to continue expanding the network to "nearly half" of U.S. states in the next 12-18 months. Partnerships like the one with Starbucks will give Mercedes flexibility to build out the network at sites that may not be able to accommodate a dedicated charging hub.
