Chipotle tests new all-electric restaurants with rooftop solar panels and EV chargers

Burritos, electric vehicles, and renewable energy are the future, and nobody knows this better than Chipotle. Chipotle Mexican Grill unveiled a new all-electric restaurant design that utilizes 100% renewable energy from wind and solar sources. Oh, and did I mention there will be EV chargers?

Best known for its deliciously satisfying burritos and bowls made with the finest quality ingredients, Chipotle’s mission goes beyond food.

The culinary pioneer specializes in “real” Mexican cuisine and believes in doing things the right way and never taking shortcuts, including using ethically sourced ingredients and not using artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or added hormones.

A major part of Chipotle’s initiative includes not only making food better but doing it in a way that protects the environment and those living in it.

Last year, 100% of Chipotle restaurants participated in the company’s “Harvest Program,” donating over 282,000 pounds of leftover food to community organizations. Meanwhile, 40% of Chipotle’s electricity was purchased from renewable sources in 2022, and despite opening over 200 new stores, the company reduced direct greenhouse emissions by 13%.

Perhaps, more importantly, Chipotle has worked to reduce packaging waste. Last year 100% of Chipotle’s burrito bowls, bags, napkins, kids tray meals, and quesadilla trays were made entirely from compostable natural fiber materials.

Tuesday, Chipotle revealed it would kick its environmental commitments up a notch with a new all-electric restaurant design, complete with energy-saving systems and EV charging stations at select locations.

Chipotle goes electric with rooftop solar panels, EV chargers

Chipotle Mexican Grill unveiled its latest all-electric restaurant design that maximizes energy efficiency while utilizing 100% renewable energy from solar and wind power sources.

A few of the key features of the new “Responsible Restaurants,” as Chipotle calls them, include:

• Rooftop solar panels
• Cactus leather seats
• Heat pump water heaters
• Biodegradable service ware
• Art made from recycled rice husks
• EV charging stations at select locations
• Smaller electric cookline and improved exhaust hoods
• All-electric equipment and systems that replace gas power
• Energy management systems (to manage heating and cooling, refrigeration temperatures, and other equipment) which many stores already have

Chipotle says its energy management systems have already reduced around 65,000 MWh of energy.

The first two locations are already open in Gloucester, Virginia, at 7115 George Washington Memorial Hwy, Gloucester, VA 23061, and Jacksonville, Florida, at 5801 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207, with the third in Castle Rock, Colorado, at 5954 Promenade Pkwy, Castle Rock, CO 80108, opening later this summer.

The company says it’s aiming to expand to 7,000 locations in North America with plans to add over 100 new all-electric locations in 2024.

The new all-electric restaurants will play a key role in Chipotle’s mission to reduce direct and indirect GHG across the company by 50% compared to 2019. Chipotle is exploring other initiatives to accelerate the progress, such as adopting renewable energy in logistics, investing in projects to drive down emissions from beef and dairy production, and developing plans to add additional vegetarian and vegan menu items.