At traditional gas stations, the “smells of gas fumes and car exhaust are the norm.” They are places where you get in and out, with no appreciation for the immediate surroundings. But this doesn’t have to be the case at electric charging stations.
In Denmark, a new ultra-fast charging station for electric cars has just opened up along a highway that looks more like a little park than a gas station. At the new station, it takes 15 minutes to recharge a vehicle—far faster than plugging in at home, but still slower than pumping gas. The designers took advantage of those extra minutes: Unlike a gas station, this is a place where people actually want to spend time.
A tree-like canopy, made from sustainably harvested wood, offers shade for people sitting on benches while they wait for the charging to finish. A swing dangles from one section of the canopy, and everything is surrounded by trees and other plantings aimed at boosting biodiversity in the area. To make matters even better, the canopy has space where solar panels can be added. The station is the first of 48 ultra-fast charging stations along Scandinavian highways.
