COBE's tree-shaped electric-car charging stations will be rolled out across Scandinavia
Danish architecture firm COBE has unveiled a concept for modular electric-car charging stations, which are set to be built in all three Scandinavian countries.
Designed in collaboration with Clever, a Danish company that specialises in charging solutions, the first of the stations will open in the Fredericia municipality of Denmark this summer.
The stations will then be rolled out across Scandinavia over the next couple of years, with eight further stations set to be built in Denmark and another 40 planned across Sweden and Norway.
COBE's charging stations will be built from wooden tree-like structures with "branches" that splay out to form a canopy. This canopy is topped with solar panels that will contribute to the station's power, allowing it to act as a "green rethink of the conventional petrol station".
Real greenery will also be planted throughout the station, in an attempt to create a more pleasant environment for drivers to wait in.
"We want to offer drivers a much-needed and meaningful break in a green oasis," said COBE's founder, Dan Stubbergaard, in a statement.
"The energy and the technology are green, and we want the architecture, the materials, and the concept to be green as well. Therefore, we've designed a sculptural charging station which can either stand alone or be incorporated with other facilities."
COBE's concept comes in response to the increasing development and adoption of electric cars.
Recently Elon Musk's company Tesla presented the Model 3, its first mass-market electric vehicle, while BMW revealed a concept for a zero-emissions electric edition of its popular MINI car.
Last year, the UK and France also announced that the sale of petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2040 onwards.
Innovation incubator Ennead Lab has also developed a proposal for an electric car charging tower where drivers could super-charge their vehicles at ground level or opt to leave them in the higher storage bays for longer time periods.