InstaVolt partnership poised to bring Starbucks to Winchester superhub
InstaVolt, the electric vehicle (EV) charging network, has unveiled a tie-up with Starbucks licensee Cobra Coffee, to open a café at the former's new superhub at the Three Maids Hill junction near Winchester, just off the A34, which is due to open this spring.
It means Starbucks and Cobra Coffee will be the first stand-alone partner to provide refreshments at an InstaVolt hub.
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"Our other superhubs are located at food and beverage locations or retail spaces, all of which have their own facilities for customers to refresh and recharge before they get back on the road," said Delvin Lane, CEO at InstaVolt.
The superhub is easily accessible from the M3 and will have 44 accessible charging bays, including extra-long van bays and drive-through bays for towing vehicles.
Once complete, it will feature roof-mounted solar as well as a solar farm of almost 900 panels, feeding two on-site batteries with a total capacity of 4MWh.
It will also switch to renewable power from Octopus Energy where necessary.
It is a key pillar in InstaVolt's new phase of growth to install 11,000 ultra rapid chargers in the UK and Ireland.
Mark Smith, group CEO of Southern Co-op, which owns Cobra Coffee, said: "We’re really excited to be bringing the Starbucks experience to the UK’s largest rapid EV superhub, creating 14 new jobs and playing our part in de-carbonising travel.
"We have a real ambition across all our businesses to act on climate change so alongside access to renewable and fast charging, our site will be built to high environmental standards where customers will not only be able to recharge their cars, but also personally, with their favourite Starbucks beverages and food."
Founded in Sussex, Starbucks franchisee Cobra Coffee operates 77 stores in Berkshire, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, London, Sussex, Surrey and Somerset.
And in 2018, it became part of the Southern Co-op family - an independent co-operative based in the south of England.
