Parkland Prepares to Bring New EV Charging Concept to Its Network
CALGARY, Alberta — Parkland Corp.'s vision of the electric vehicle (EV) charging destination of the future is one step closer to reality.
Last fall, Parkland and Electric Autonomy Canada asked architects and designers to submit what they think "The Electric Fueling Station of the Future" will look like. The partners recently selected the winning design, which was created by James Silvester, a Scotland-based architect with extensive global experience designing sustainable architecture.
Titled "More with Less," Silvester's design creates a relaxing environment where EV drivers can take a breath and recharge not just their vehicles, but also themselves.
"Our goal in sponsoring this competition was to invite architects and designers from around the world to put the needs of EV customers first and entirely reimagine their charging experience. Modular in design and constructed using environmentally friendly materials, this winning design can be scaled large or small," Parkland President and CEO Bob Espey said during the company's fourth-quarter 2021 earnings call, held March 4.
"It will feature amenities we know EV customers will value as they recharge, such as our On the Run convenience stores, high-quality dining, relaxation, and outdoor spaces," he added. "The result is a destination that customers can enjoy, which will set a new standard for electric vehicle charging and customer experience."
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Renderings of the winning design -
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The winning concept will be utilized as part of an extension of Parkland's EV ultrafast charging network in British Columbia, according to Espey.
"While EVs currently represent around 1 percent of total vehicles in Canada and the U.S., we believe that in some markets, particularly British Columbia [BC], meeting the needs of EV drivers presents an opportunity that is highly additive to our business," he said. "Commitment to build BC's largest ultrafast charging network and build the electric charging destination of the future are just two examples of how we are seizing opportunities to serve our customers' needs in new and creative ways."
Calgary-based Parkland is an independent supplier and marketer of fuel and petroleum products and a convenience store operator. Parkland currently services customers across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean region, and the Americas through three channels: retail, commercial and wholesale.
In addition to its EV charging initiative, Parkland this year also plans to continue developing its existing business by further strengthening its retail and supply capabilities across all geographies, and adding new accounts to grow its customer base and market share, the chief executive shared during the earnings call.
The company's plans call for expanding its On the Run convenience stores across the U.S. and Canada — which will include the launch of Canadian standalone stores that will feature a strong food component based on M&M Food Market's proven capabilities.
In late January 2022, Parkland announced it was acquiring Mississauga, Ontario-based M&M Food Market, a premium, restaurant-quality frozen food retailer. The acquisition includes more than 300 standalone franchise and corporate owned stores; 2,000-plus M&M Express locations; and a rewards program with approximately 2 million active members, as Convenience Store News previously reported.
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