Who says EV charging stations have to be dreary poorly-maintained boxes in the parking lots of major grocery stores? Rivian is taking the concept of the charging station and flipping it on its head – building a new vision of what they should be. The company recently unveiled its Joshua Tree Charging Outpost, and it’s designed more as an end-to-end pitstop than a simple place to charge your electric car.
The new Joshua Tree charging outpost is just miles from the entrance to the national park, and provides twelve 300kW chargers open to any vehicles (not just Rivian cars), though Tesla vehicles will need an adapter. Of course, Rivian vehicles will get a bit of a discount when they charge at their own stations. The charging location itself pulls electricity from the grid, but Rivian says that it’s matching the electricity used by purchasing electricity from solar, single, and hydropower.
But beyond the actual charging stations, the new outpost has a lot more going for it. Instead of simply sitting in your car for 20 minutes and waiting to charge, you’ll actually want to head inside the building. It has games set up, coffee table books, and comfortable seating to wait in. Not only that, but there’s free coffee from Joshua Tree Coffee, along with other snacks and drinks that are available for purchase.
There are plenty of design touches that make this station better-looking than others. For starters, it matches the Joshua Tree architecture aesthetic, offering a somewhat minimalistic, rural vibe, with cacti on the outside. And, it’s built to be easy to use – it supports tech like tap-to-pay, so you don’t have to download the Rivian app.
This, really, is what every EV charging station should be. Vehicle manufacturers are working hard to make charging EVs quicker, but even the fastest right now can fully charge in around 20 minutes or so. Compare that to the three-minute refueling of a gas vehicle – and even then, gas stations typically have a place for you to at least get a snack and go to the restroom. That’s unlike many EV charging stations, which are often in the back of parking lots or rented land away from any stores.
Rivian’s new outpost is one of the first of its next-generation charging locations, but hopefully it’s not the last. And, maybe it’ll actually generate additional revenue for Rivian through the sale of drinks and snacks – something that will hopefully convince others to be a little more creative when it comes to EV charging.
For more information, visit rivian.com.
