Sønderborg, Denmark is home to a new EV charging station that offers a refreshing take on the conventional gas-filling or battery-charging experience. Rather than the stark spaces we've come to expect from car-centric infrastructure, Better Energy Charge is designed to be an inviting area with sustainability at its core. It swaps out concrete and steel for a timber structure, green roof and permeable surfaces, and the surrounding area is thoughtfully landscaped with trees and vegetation.
Spread out around the charging park are benches where drivers can relax and enjoy a small dose of nature. The station, developed by Copenhagen-based design studio EFFEKT for renewable energy company Better Energy, opened in September 2023. But the space will truly come alive this spring when its wild meadow plants grow and bloom, offering both a pleasant reprieve for human users and a habitat for birds and insects.
Notably, Better Energy's fast-charging EV station is also one of the first to implement a dynamic pricing model, encouraging consumers to charge when renewable energy is most abundant. Rates are lowered during peak clean energy times, and prices are visible to drivers from the road.
