Electrify America’s flagship urban EV charging station is indoors

Electrify America on Wednesday unveiled its first indoor charging station, which the charging network says will serve as a template for future sites in urban areas.

Located in San Francisco’s South Market neighborhood, two blocks from the Bay Bridge, the new “flagship” site has 20 chargers providing up to 350 kw of power, according to Electrify America press release.

In addition to indoor parking, the site features two climate-controlled lounge areas, food and beverage vending, and free wifi. It’s open 24/7 with around-the-clock monitoring and security, according to Electrify America.

This is the indoor complement to Electrify America’s new outdoor design, that includes solar canopies—and, perhaps at some locations, lounges. But the indoor San Francisco location is the first based on a new strategy of even larger stations aimed at serving urban areas.

“Electrify America will continue this transition with new flagship charging facilities planned in metro areas nationwide,” the release said. It’s all part of an effort to understand what the charging station of the future should look like.

First Electrify America indoor charging station opens in San Francisco

Some automakers are also settling on a model centered on lounges and amenities. Mercedes-Benz has presented a more upscale template similar to the Electrify America San Francisco location, that it’s now building out in American locations. Porsche has also presented charging lounges, so far focused on Europe.

Meanwhile, longtime Electrify America partner Walmart announced last year that it planned to establish its own EV charging network. That’s likely to built around more bare-bones charging stations than what Electrify America has presented with its new indoor site.