Two ChargePoint EV chargers are online April 13, 2023, at the Starbucks at 1235 N. First St., Hermiston. Two others are to be operational shortly.

HERMISTON — Visitors to the Starbucks at 1235 N. First St., Hermiston, can more than a boost of just caffeine.

The coffee shop now has electric vehicle charging stations thanks to a collaboration between Starbucks and Volvo. Two ChargePoint fast chargers now are operating with two others ready for use soon.

Hermiston Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan said the chargers could be helpful in drawing in freeway traffic, spurning drivers to make a stop and charge their vehicles.

“Having things like that can surprisingly pull people off the freeway to just come into town,” Morgan said. “If you’re traveling across the Northwest and you’re looking for a charge somewhere, you can pull off and get a bite to eat in the city.”

That means more outside money circulating in the local economy, he said.

“The hardest thing, when it comes to retail, is just getting people in your door in the first place,” Morgan said. “So, I think, getting people to just exit the freeway and drive the 6 or 7 miles into Hermiston is a huge deal.”

According to a press release, the EV chargers are the latest development in Starbucks’ commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and invite customers to join in efforts to better the environment.

The press release states the partnership between Starbucks and Volvo plans to install nearly 60 chargers along a 1,350-mile route, spanning from Seattle to Colorado — with the chargers being installed at up to 15 different Starbucks locations.

This will be the third set of EV chargers in Hermiston. Morgan said there are EV chargers in the parking lot off of Gladys Avenue and another set in the parking lot behind Banner Bank on East Main Street.

“I think it’s the way of the future,” he said. “I think more and more folks are going to continue to have needs for electric car charging.”

“Previously under-resourced to support EV charging, this scenic artery passes near six national forests and unlocks to zero tailpipe-emission EV drivers some of the country’s most iconic spots,” Starbucks stated in a press release. “From Snoqualmie Pass in Washington, stretching the Snake River in Idaho, spanning Arches National Park in Utah and connecting outdoor destinations like Park City and Vail, the route represents the American road trip at its best.”

The collaboration comes with Volvo’s plan to be a fully electric car company by 2030, making charging stations accessible to a predicted growing clientele.

“I think it’s the way of the future.”

— Mark Morgan, Hermiston assistant city manager