QSR July 2023

INNOVATION

RESTAURANTS ARE PREPARING FOR A WORLD IN WHICH ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE MORE COMMONPLACE. 

The roar of gas-guzzling engines is slowly being replaced by the hum of electric motors. S&P Global Mobility proj ects that electric vehicles ( EV s ) could make up 40 percent of the country’s total car sales by 2030. Even more optimistic forecasts suggest that number could climb to over 50 percent. With such rapid expansion in the EV market, the number of public charging stations will need to increase drastically to meet demand. S&P Global Mobility estimates the current number of chargers will need to grow by more than eightfold over the next six years.

According to federal data, there are more than 3 million EVs on the road and over 130,000 public charging stations across the country. The White House wants to grow the number of chargers to more than 500,000 via the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program ( NEVI ) , a $5 billion initiative aimed at creating an acces sible and convenient coast-to-coast charging network by 2030. That’s where quick-service restaurants enter the picture. “Unlike when you pull up to a gas station, where it takes five min utes to fill up your tank, EV charging takes more time,” says Abby Risner, an attorney at Greensfelder who works with clients in both

VOLVO; CHARGEPOINT, STARBUCKS / JAMES LIPMAN

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