I absolutely love that Volvo and ChargePoint are working with Starbucks to test EV chargers at 15 locations in the Northwest, between Seattle and Denver. It's an excellent example of blue ocean strategic thinking, and how a shift in one type of consumer behavior resets the playing field for all adjacent behaviors.

A change in consumer behavior doesn't happen in isolation

On its surface, the shift from ICE (internal combustion engine) to EVs (electric vehicles) doesn't seem like it would impact much outside of the auto manufacturers, oil companies, and energy providers. Indeed, compared to automation, which is still several years away, it's more of a sustaining or bridge technology — important to modernization (not to mention in slowing down climate change), but not a fundamental shift in how we use cars.

But the fundamental nature of how we power EVs means that there is one component that will change — how and where we power our vehicles. While the vast majority of charging will likely happen at home or at work, we know that we'll also need public places to charge, especially on occasions like road trips, weekend getaways, and other road travel outside of our daily commutes. And unlike ICE vehicles, even the fastest setups will take 20-30 minutes for a meaningful charge, making EV infrastructure a poor fit for the grab-and-go convenience stores that support most gas stations. Because charging takes 5x longer over re-fueling, it opens the door for rethinking the entire experience.

Extending the third place into a blue ocean opportunity

Starbucks has long pursued a strategy of being the designated "third place" between work and home — a clean, comfortable place to sit, meet, and use the restroom in public, for the price of a cup of coffee. It's so deeply infused in the company culture that in cities like New York, Starbucks restrooms have practically taken over as public infrastructure, kept clean and usable for any and all patrons.

So it makes sense that Starbucks would be interested in hosting EV chargers — they already have a comfortable place to hang out for a half hour while you charge your EV, and many drivers will likely purchase a drink or snack while they're stopped as well. It's a blue ocean strategy, extending the idea of the third place into a new and emerging consumer behavior that doesn't have much competition yet.

I'm sure this test is geared toward seeing how much in-store sales are increased by the presence of the chargers. But it seems like such an obvious fit that I can't imagine it won't succeed. And in ten years, Starbucks might start to overtake gas stations as the primary public place we power our vehicles.