90 new charging stations at McDonald’s by the end of 2022
The Swiss fast charging provider GOFAST is launching an ambitious project with McDonald’s Switzerland to expand the charging infrastructure in Switzerland for electric cars. The aim is to equip most of the nearly 90 McDrive restaurants with fast charging stations between the middle of December 2020 and the end of 2022. Attractive restaurant locations will therefore be added to the existing Switzerland-wide network of GOFAST fast charging stations in a short period of time.
The fact that GOFAST has been able to win McDonald’s Switzerland as a new partner is a real stroke of luck for the rapidly increasing number of electric car drivers, enthuses Domenic Lanz, CEO of GOFAST, the e-mobility company founded in 2016. By equipping many drive-through restaurants with fast charging stations for electric cars by the end of 2022, almost 90 additional convenient fast charging locations are being created in prime traffic locations throughout Switzerland, effectively in a single stroke.
Fast charging and eating both become part of the journey
As charging takes a little longer than filling up with petrol, even at high-performance GOFAST charging points, it is important for drivers of electric cars to be able to make good use of the charging time, which is typically 20 to 30 minutes. ‘McDonald’s meets these requirements perfectly,’ says Domenic Lanz from GOFAST: ‘while the car is charging outside, you can use the time to eat or have a coffee at McDonald's. And you can be on the road again in 20 to 30 minutes.’
The GOFAST HPC (High Power Charging) points allow drivers of electric cars to charge their vehicles at rates of up to 150 kW. This means that, in ideal circumstances, a range of up to 150 km can be added in 10 minutes. The effective charging speed does, however,depend on a variety of factors such as the vehicle model, state of charge and temperature. Naturally, only Swiss renewable electricity is provided by GOFAST.
New restaurant in Martigny sets the ball in motion
The build up of fast charging stations at suitable McDrive restaurants is set to be completed by the end of 2022 over several construction phases. The opening of the largest McDonald’s restaurant in Switzerland at the Martigny motorway junction on 11th December 2020 will set the ball in motion: the GOFAST charging station here with six charging spots sets a new benchmark. In addition to Martigny, four other McDrive restaurants in Hinwil, Kölliken, La Tour-de-Trême and Lugano mean there will be GOFAST charging stations in every region of the country by the end of December. ‘We have been working together for the environment for years at McDonald’s. Our logistics partner runs on biodiesel and biogas produced from our kitchen waste. We are committed to using rail for the transportation of goods, hydroelectric power for electricity, and increasingly on fast charging stations for our guests. Together, we can make a difference,’ enthuses Aglaë Strachwitz, Managing Director at McDonald’s Schweiz.
GOFAST and McDonald's Switzerland are launching their partnership with a series of competitions and free charges at the newly opened locations in December.
e-mobility on the brink of a mass market presence
The most recent TCS study on e-mobility shows that over half of the population of Switzerland can imagine buying an electric car in the next few years and that e-mobility is on the brink of becoming mainstream. A lack of charging infrastructure is still one of the main reasons for not buying yet, although the Swiss charging network is expanding rapidly. The expansion of an easily accessible and reliable charging infrastructure is helping to build up confidence in this new technology among the wider population. While initial adopters of e-mobility have over the last few years put up with problems such as inconsistent tariffs and inconveniently located, uninviting public charging stations with a great deal of idealism, the next generation of electric car drivers expects a comfortable and easy charging experience which offers more added value. The collaboration between McDonald’s Switzerland and the fast charging expert GOFAST is meeting this demand head on.