ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Subway and GenZ EV Solutions, a provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, are partnering on what they describe as “an EV charging oasis of the future.”

The brands envision charging canopies with multiple ports, picnic tables, Wi-Fi, restrooms, green space and even playgrounds. As part of a multiyear plan to roll out the oases, smaller-format, fast EV charging stations will be piloted at select, new or newly remodeled restaurants across the United States, starting in 2023.

GenZ EV Solutions works with RED E Charging, an EV charging network, to provide proprietary software and operating expertise for EV charging stations.

According to Subway, guests may also benefit from dedicated Subway promotions that are available only while utilizing an EV charging station.

Although Subway’s footprint in the United States is getting smaller, it still has more than 20,000 restaurants. The company writes that with its size, it is well positioned to contribute to a national network of charging stations.

Subway is partnering with franchisees of both traditional and non-traditional locations to identify sites for smaller format EV charging stations as well as Subway EV charging oases. 

Jalopnik sounded a note of skepticism, observing that Subway locations are “usually always attached to or inside something else like a shopping center, and adding a charging plaza to those locations seems difficult.”

Earlier this month Subway confirmed that it is exploring a possible sale. The QSR could be valued at more than $10 billion.

In October, Taco Bell announced that some locations were adding EV charging stations.