Popular Family Restaurant Chain Installs First of 12 Fast Chargers at
Select Tennessee Locations Along the State's Main Highways
Company is Also Installing "Level 2" Chargers at 12 Additional
Locations
LEBANON, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Driving forward in its role as a major participant in The EV Project,
the largest deployment of EV infrastructure to date, Cracker Barrel Old
Country Store (NASDAQ: CBRL)
today installed the first Blink DC Fast Charging station available to
the public in the state of Tennessee - at its hometown location in
Lebanon, Tenn. This charger, the first of 12 high speed chargers that
will be installed at select locations in Tennessee, can supply guests
with an 80% charge in about a half hour, essentially allowing guests to
"fill ‘er up" in about the time it takes to order and eat a meal.
Cracker Barrel is pleased to be an early project participant, installing
Blink electric vehicle (EV) chargers provided by ECOtality, Inc.,
(NASDAQ:ECTY),
at restaurant locations across Tennessee. The DC Fast Charger is
compatible with the Nissan LEAF, a 100% electric, Zero Emissions Vehicle
(ZEV) with a 100-mile range that can reach speeds up to 90 mph and seats
five passengers. All Cracker Barrel locations with a DC fast charger
installation will also have a Blink Pedestal charger. The company has
already installed Blink Pedestal chargers at 12 Tennessee locations,
which are compatible with electric vehicles and some hybrid vehicles.
These Blink Pedestal chargers will be available for guests to "top off
their tanks" as they travel around town. The Fast Chargers are well
suited for travel along Tennessee's main interstate highways.
A number of officials representing Cracker Barrel, federal and local
government, ECOtality and Nissan were on hand for today's ceremony,
including Cracker Barrel President and Chief Executive Officer Sandra B.
Cochran, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), ECOtality's Sr. VP
Onroad Operations Greg Fioriti and Director of Nissan LEAF Marketing and
Sales Strategy Brendan Jones.
"Cracker Barrel works hard to remain relevant in our guests' changing
lives while continuing to offer the genuine hospitality and honest value
associated with times past," said Cracker Barrel President and CEO
Sandra B. Cochran. "Our leadership role in the EV Project allows us to
continue offering what our guests need and expect while also
participating in a meaningful way in our nation's explorations of energy
independence."
Cochran added that today's unveiling of Cracker Barrel's first DC Fast
Charging station is a milestone in the popular family dining concept's
42-year history. When the first Cracker Barrel® stores were
built, they had gasoline pumps out front because founder Dan Evins was a
Shell Oil "jobber" who was looking for a way to sell more gasoline as
well as to offer the food and hospitality he grew up on in rural
Tennessee. Fueling pumps were removed in the early 70s during the oil
embargo. Cochran said, "We see the installation of electric vehicle
chargers as a nod to our past even as we look forward to the future with
our current guests, and the next generation of people who will be hungry
for the Cracker Barrel® experience."
On hand for today's ceremony was U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)
who has been a proponent of electric vehicles. "There is enough unused
electricity at night that we can plug in half our cars and trucks
without building a single new power plant, and forward-thinking
companies like Cracker Barrel are making it even easier to drive
electric vehicles by allowing customers to charge them up while we eat,
work, shop or otherwise go about our days. Electric vehicles are the
best solution to $4 gasoline — and plugging in my Nissan LEAF gives me
the patriotic pleasure of not sending money overseas to people trying to
blow us up."
Cracker Barrel is installing Blink electric vehicle chargers at select
locations in "The Tennessee Triangle," the 425-mile stretch of
interstate highway that connects Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga.
When completed, 24 Cracker Barrel locations will have chargers. A guest
could, if desired, drive the entire 425 miles of the Tennessee Triangle,
re-charging at Cracker Barrel® locations along the way.
In commenting on the project, ECOtality CEO Jonathan Read said,
"ECOtality's goal is to build an EV charging network that places Blink
charging stations readily available at locations where people need them.
We identified Cracker Barrel Old Country Store early on as an ideal EV
Project participant, as it is uniquely located to provide a great
service and convenience to the public. Our work together takes us one
step closer toward creating the interconnected network needed for a
viable EV infrastructure."
Representatives of Nissan Americas gave those attending an up-close look
at how easy to use these chargers are by bringing two of their LEAF
vehicles to the event. "Since its debut, strong sales of the Nissan LEAF
have been telling us that consumers are ready for a clear alternative to
gas burning engines," said Brendan Jones, director of Nissan LEAF
Marketing and Sales Strategy. "Now that more and more businesses like
Cracker Barrel are installing charging stations, zero-emission mobility
has quickly become a viable mode of transportation that is here to stay."
Background Information
-
The EV Project is an initiative to increase the adoption of electric
vehicles by creating a solid charging infrastructure across the
country. The EV Project is managed by ECOtality, a leader in clean
electric transportation and storage technologies.
-
Cracker Barrel is pleased to be an early participant and anticipates
that its guests will also be pleased regardless of what kinds of
vehicles they drive as this initiative clearly looks at the future of
travel in America.
-
While ownership of electric cars is small compared with traditional
vehicles, there's great curiosity about them, and so Cracker Barrel
expects its guests will be quite interested in seeing these charging
stations when they stop in for a meal and to shop in the retail store.
The popular family dining concept expects its guests will be pleased
to see Cracker Barrel taking an active role in exploring energy
alternatives that are aimed at protecting the environment, as well as
strengthening the economy.
-
The new electric car charging stations are consistent with the
company's roots. In the early days, Cracker Barrel provided food for
its guests and fuel for their cars. While the company expects that use
of the electric chargers will be light during this pilot project,
making this available to their guests is consistent with their brand
reputation of hospitality, service and value.
-
Guests will be able to get an 80% charge — the recommended charge — in
just under a half hour at the 12 Cracker Barrel® locations
(including the company's hometown of Lebanon, Tenn.) which will have
the DC Fast Charging stations. These guests will essentially be able
to "fill ‘er up" in about the same amount of time it takes to order
and eat a meal.
-
Guests visiting the 12 locations that will have the Blink EV Level 2
chargers, which are slower than the DC Fast Charging stations, will be
able to top off their tanks, so to speak, while eating some good
country cookin' and browsing in the retail shop.
-
Guests will be able to check the Cracker Barrel® newsroom
at http://newsroom.crackerbarrel.com/
to see which locations have installed EV chargers.
About Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store provides a friendly home-away-from-home
in its old country stores and restaurants. Guests are cared for like
family while relaxing and enjoying real home-style food and shopping
that's surprisingly unique, genuinely fun and reminiscent of America's
country heritage…all at a fair price. The restaurant serves up
delicious, home-style country food such as meatloaf and homemade chicken
n' dumplins as well as its made from scratch biscuits using an old
family recipe. The authentic old country retail store is fun to shop and
offers unique gifts and self-indulgences.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRL) was established in
1969 in Lebanon, Tenn. and operates 608 company-owned locations in 42
states. Every Cracker Barrel unit is open seven days a week with hours
Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. — 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 6
a.m. - 11 p.m. For more information, visit crackerbarrel.com.
About ECOtality, Inc.
ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY), headquartered in San Francisco,
California, is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage
technologies. Through innovation, acquisitions, and strategic
partnerships, ECOtality accelerates the market applicability of advanced
electric technologies to replace carbon-based fuels. For more
information about ECOtality, Inc., please visit www.ecotality.com.
About Nissan Americas
In the Americas, Nissan's operations include automotive styling,
engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing,
distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the
environment under the Nissan Green Program and was recognized as an
ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S Environmental
Protection Agency in 2010 and 2011. More information on Nissan in North
America, the Nissan LEAF and zero emissions can be found at www.nissanusa.com.
Artwork Available
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store images: http://newsroom.crackerbarrel.com/photos/
ECOtality
images: http://www.blinknetwork.com/multimedia.html
Nissan
images: www.nissannews.com
CBRL-G
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
Julie Davis, 615-443-9266
julie.davis@crackerbarrel.com
or
Antenna
Group for ECOtality
Caitlin Cieslik-Miskimen, 415-977-1922
caitlin@antennagroup.com
or
Nissan
North America Inc.
Steve Parrett, 615-725-1448
steve.parrett@nissan-usa.com
Source: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
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