Hotel Marcel in Connecticut offers complimentary Ioniq and EV9 rides as part of its net-zero mission
The striking 165-room Hotel Marcel in New Haven, Connecticut—a landmark of Brutalist architecture—has an automotive heritage. The modern tower was built as the Armstrong Rubber Company Building and opened in 1970.
In 1988, Pirelli bought Armstrong and took over the building, but it sat vacant for decades after the tire company vacated in 1999. Since 2022, it’s been a green zero-emission hotel, with a special love of EVs. And a partnership with Hyundai.According to Ben Webster, general manager of the Marcel a LEED Platinum-rated green building, “We are Hyundai’s first hotel partnership. We have two three-row EV9s and an Ioniq 5 for guests, available since July 1. With our drivers behind the wheel, they can get picked up at the railroad station or at the local airports if they schedule in advance, or get taken downtown for shopping.” The rides are free within a five-mile radius, and also complimentary to nearby Tweed Airport.In announcing the shuttles, the companies said that “the collaboration reflects our shared commitment to a cleaner future and adds a new level of convenience for eco-conscious travelers.”The Hyundais charge at the hotel’s 12 Tesla Superchargers and 12 EV Connect Level Two chargers that are also open to the public. Since the hotel is right next to an Ikea outlet, with which it shares a parking lot, and right off I-95 as well, the chargers are almost always in use. The Northeast Electric Vehicle Symposium was held at the hotel, with Hyundai’s backing. The EVs are popular, delivering 10 to 15 rides per day and “a couple hundred” each month, Webster said. “Because the hotel is zero emission, with no fossil fuel being used, guests can combine using the cars with the stay and have a completely carbon-free experience. Guests love hearing about that.”Ikea purchased the property in 2003 and built its store, but also demolished part of the base of the old tire building, which became quite dilapidated. Bruce Becker, the hotel’s owner, re-architect and developer, bought the remaining structure in 2019 and renovated it as a state-of-the-art eco-hotel. Becker told Autoweek, “When we opened, we acquired a 14-passenger electric shuttle van that was converted by Maxwell Vehicles using a salvaged Tesla Model 3 powertrain and battery. It was helpful for hotel groups, but the vast majority of our shuttle requests are for one to three people, so smaller vehicles are a better fit. And for groups of up to five, the Ioniq 9 is a much more luxurious on-brand experience.”Becker said that, as an EV enthusiast, the Hyundai partnership is “a dream come true for me. Together, we can demonstrate that environmental sustainability and luxury go hand in hand and elevate the guest experience.”Hyundai likes the hospitality connection. It’s also worked with Hilton Grand Vacations to provide complimentary stays in Hawaiian properties for buyers of the Ioniq 5, 5N, 6, and Kona EVs. In England, it created a temporary “Hotel Hyundai” that included guest cabin, restaurant, and theater powered by the Ioniq 5’s vehicle-to-load technology. In Saudi Arabia, it’s working with Red Sea Global on EVs and autonomous/air mobility for luxury destinations. Other partnerships between hotels and auto companies have included Audi and the 1 Hotels in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Audi supplies electric e-trons for guest shuttles, test drives, and some excursions curated by Audi itself. Rivian has an arrangement with The Ranch at Laguna Beach, offering free rides in the R1S and R1T. Lucid has partnered with the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in the US, and is expanding to Europe and the Middle East. Hotel guests can take out a Lucid at no cost, with concierge teams providing suggested routes. The Hotel Vitznauerhof in Switzerland is a Lucid partner. The Marcel’s sustainability level is a tough bar. Webster said it is the first Passive House-certified hotel in the US, and became the first net-zero hotel at the end of 2025. Perhaps the one other zero-emission hotel in the US is the Populus in Denver, opened in 2024. It was “designed to sequester more carbon dioxide than it emits through sustainable construction, 100 percent renewable energy, and extensive tree planting.” Guests are encouraged to use public transit—no parking garage is present at the 265-room hotel.
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