Parkland to build the ‘Electric Charging Destination of the Future’
Parkland Corporation is moving ahead with plans to build the ‘Electric Charging Destination of the Future’ and set a new standard for electric vehicle (EV) charging and customer experience.
The convenience retail and fuel marketing company has developed its initial architectural concept by sponsoring an international design competition operated by Electric Autonomy Canada, which focuses on electric and autonomous vehicle technologies.
READ: Parkland calls on designers to reimagine the "Electric Fuelling Station of the Future"
“Consistent with our energy transition and convenience destination strategy, our goal in sponsoring this competition was to engage talented architects and designers from around the world, invite them to put the needs of EV customers first, and entirely reimagine their experience,” Darren Smart, SVP energy transition and corporate development, said in a release. “We are committed to bringing the winning concept to life as part of our ambitious EV charging strategy in British Columbia and believe the concept could be extended to our other geographies when we see opportunity to meet emerging customer demand.”
The winning design was created by James Silvester, an award-winning Scotland-based architect with extensive global experience designing sustainable architecture. Named, ‘More with Less’, "the design creates a relaxing environment, where electric vehicle drivers can take a breath, and recharge not just their vehicles, but themselves."
“The environmentally friendly materials and modular nature of the ‘More with Less’ concept, provides tremendous versatility,” added Smart. “It can be scaled large or small, accommodate the amenities we know EV customers value while they charge, such as our On the Run convenience stores and high-quality dining. It also creates a series of outdoor spaces. The result is a destination that customers can enjoy and an environment where nature is integral to the structure. We look forward to working with James to further hone the design and identify a suitable location where we can bring it to life and create a world-class experience for EV drivers.”
The plan builds on Parkland's ongoing energy transition and renewables activities. This includes plans to open British Columbia’s largest network (by site count) of ultra-fast electric vehicle chargers.
READ: Parkland to roll out electric vehicle charging ports across B.C.
These are being co-located with On the Run branded convenience stores and Triple O’s restaurants on high-traffic routes through British Columbia and into Calgary. The network is expected to be complete in the second half of 2022.
