Get ready for your shortest walk-through of an Ikea store yet because Electrify America is bringing its fast charging EV network to more than 25 Ikea locations in the US (via Electrek).
The plan includes installing more than 220 individual fast chargers capable of charging up to 350kW speeds at Ikea stores in 18 different states. The first public chargers will make an appearance by the end of the year and the rest by the end of 2023.
“This collaboration with Electrify America will not only bring ultra-fast public chargers to our stores for the first time but it will also help us take a big leap as we work towards our targets to become circular and climate positive,” said Ikea US CEO Javier Quiñones. Ikea set that climate goal for 2030, but more ambitiously, the company plans to fully electrify its deliveries by 2025.
To support its electric delivery plans, Ikea is also working with Electrify America’s commercial division to install another 225 individual chargers at relevant business sites. Together with the public stations, Ikea is looking to give its customers and employees more incentives to drive electric vehicles. The Swedish furniture company had previously installed Blink Level 2 charging stations at various Ikea locations starting as early as 2011.
The deal is the latest in partnerships between charging station providers and brick-and-mortar businesses. Earlier this year, Volvo and ChargePoint announced charging stations will be installed at Starbucks locations in five states, and last month, there was news of GM building a coast-to-coast charging network at Pilot and Flying J truck stops. In June, the Biden administration gave states new guidelines to award EV infrastructure contracts for businesses that make charging convenient, affordable, and accessible for the public.
Electrify America, the charging subsidiary of VW automotive group, currently operates more than 800 stations with over 3,500 fast charging ports in North America. The 25-plus additional Ikea stations are just a drop in the bucket toward the company’s goal of adding another 1,000 stations by 2026. You can look out for the Ikea Electrify America stations coming soon to the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington state.