OTS - bk World - The service station of the future has opened in Endsee, Germany (part 1)
2022. June 03. 16:25
Endsee, 3 June, 2022 (APA/OTS) - A new era has begun for drivers of
electric cars. The first bk World opened today, Friday, in Endsee,
Bavaria. By creating charging havens, this subsidiary of bk Group
AG is revolutionising long-distance travel by electric car.
From idea to reality
For drivers of electric cars, charging time is mostly wasted
time. It's 20 to 30 minutes they have to spend consuming fast food
in a remote car park, killing time on their mobile phone, enjoying
the charms of service station bathrooms, writing emails on a
precariously balanced laptop - and longing for the time to pass.
This is something that Gerold Wolfarth and Marc Arnold, the
founders of bk World, want to change. The idea for bk World was
born during a charging stop in the middle of the night, they
recounted at the grand opening of the first bk World. "There had to
be a better way - and we wanted it to be unique," Wolfarth said.
Now, right at the Tesla Supercharger Park with its 20 rapid
charge spots in Endsee, the first location has been opened: a
lounge for drivers of electric cars that turns waiting time into
quality time.
In bk World, charging time becomes quality time
"The whole idea for bk World was conceived from the user
perspective," Arnold explained. "In other words, as the driver of
an electric car, what is it that I really need during a charging
break?"
bk World of course offers bathroom facilities, while a
comfortable lounge area invites drivers to linger. But the concept
is far more extensive. For instance, it makes extremely efficient
use of the small footprint. Various products are dispensed in a
fully automated way. The food that drivers can purchase on site is
healthy, fresh, and low in sugar. When selecting the product
portfolio, the planners deliberately avoided working with large
corporations and chose instead to focus on keeping things regional
and sustainable. Together with entrepreneur and investor Marcell
Jansen, work is even going on to develop an innovative and healthy
food portfolio especially for bk World.
Small office areas for business meetings, a children's play
area to entertain the little ones, and green surroundings turn a
necessary stay into a welcome break.
A unique spatial concept
bk World is made up of what are known as Qubes - modular,
transportable room elements that can be combined in a number of
ways to meet a wide variety of space requirements on site. When a
charging facility grows, its bk World can grow with it. Qubes can
be assembled, disassembled, and relocated in a very short time.
This is particularly good news for property owners, but also for
charging facility operators. If a lease expires, bk World offers
the greatest possible flexibility. The smallest version, with a
lounge area and bathroom Qube, takes up around 50 square metres -
but there is no upper size limit to bk World. This reduces material
waste and makes demolitions a thing of the past. And bk World's
inherent adaptability makes it easier to find suitable locations.
"With bk World, charging park operators no longer have to rely
on existing infrastructure. We simply come to wherever a charging
park has been set up. All we need is a connection for water,
wastewater, and electricity, which means we can put our lounges in
practically any location," Wolfarth said.
Supporting regional retailers
bk World is also committed to strengthening the regional retail
trade. Its online shop hosts a platform on which regional retailers
can present themselves. As the locations expand, the portfolio of
regional specialities will continue to grow. In Endsee, visitors to
the charging park will find delicacies including Franconian wines,
award-winning chocolates, and exceptional cooking oils.
"For most retailers, bk World is a touchpoint with a new target
group that would otherwise be very hard, if not impossible, for
them to reach. After all, people stopping for a break right on the
motorway won't be aware of the great shops in nearby towns. The
visibility that companies can now achieve through our platform is
enormous," Wolfarth said.
Each bk World location will offer a maximum of 80 selected
products from the surrounding region, making every bk World unique.
It is also possible to purchase regional products in the bk World
online shop.
Taking sustainability a step further
bk World is climate positive over its lifetime. That means it
offsets more CO2 emissions than it causes. This is thanks to the
interplay of various structural considerations and construction
techniques. The solid lounge elements are made of spruce wood. One
property of this building material is that it naturally binds CO2.
In addition, the bk World Qubes feature a sustainable insulating
material that is not only ecological, but also has properties that
make a positive impact
on the bk World's carbon footprint: the Qubes are designed to
withstand all weather conditions. From sweltering heat in southern
Europe to extreme cold in the north - all visitors to bk World will
experience the same climate. Many of the electrical consumers in
each bk World draw their power from the on-site PV system on the
roofs of the Qubes.(continues)