Denmark’s Nature-Saturated EV Charging Station
Published 04 April 2024
As we explored in Advancing EV Infrastructure, smart brands are experimenting with the design and function of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. In Denmark, renewable energy company Better Energy enlisted architecture studio Effekt to reconfigure a charging station into a park-like space where both cars and their drivers can refuel.
The charging station, called Better Energy Charge, is located on Better Energy’s development campus. It’s a pilot project to test the viability of using the company’s solar park as a renewable energy source for refuelling EVs. Drivers can use the station’s fast chargers to give their car a significant range boost in about 30 minutes. Notably, the chargers operate on a dynamic pricing scheme, so refuelling is cheaper during periods of low energy demand.
The key difference between Better Energy Charge and competing charging stations is the former’s natural, park-inspired design. As their car charges, people can walk through wildflower gardens, relax on wooden benches, or learn about Better Energy’s renewable projects in the station’s central pavilion. According to Sinus Lynge, Effekt’s creative director, “a main idea was to offer the drivers a chance to recharge mentally”.
Focusing on the consumer experience is essential to ensure charging doesn’t become a roadblock to wider EV adoption. As adoption increases and charging needs diversify, there will be greater demand for charging stations that offer unique reasons to visit and linger. Auto, retail and food brands have started to stake their claim in this space, but there’s still significant room for companies to innovate when it comes to occupying drivers during extended charging periods. Yet brands should also pay attention to Better Energy’s use of renewables, which is likely to appeal to drivers who choose EVs for environmental reasons.
For more on EV trends, see Accelerated Futures: The New Eco-Mobility.