As the transition to electric vehicles gains steam, more and more businesses and consumers are seeing the value and opportunity that come with zero-emission vehicles. Along with the necessary reduction in carbon emissions, property owners are also seeing a potential for financial benefit. As a result many commercial businesses are adding charging station infrastructure to their properties.
Installing EV charging stations can draw in new traffic and help businesses tap into a new consumer group. If you’re interested in EV charging at your business, here are some points to consider that can help future-proof your EV charging implementation strategy.
What Is The Right Charging Equipment For Your Business?
Whatever your long-term plans are for hosting charging stations, choosing the right equipment is of the utmost importance. Selecting equipment that matches the needs of your current and future customers can help you deliver a frustration-free charging experience. Meanwhile, by looking ahead at potential changes in technology, you can plan your investment in a way that can better adapt as the industry evolves. Further, it’s important to plan your charge station layout with an eye on future expansions and changes in energy procurement. You may decide at a later date that installing solar to support your charging stations makes the most economic sense, so planning for that possibility from the beginning can save you in costly site modifications later on.
Three Things To Ask When Choosing EVSE:
What Type of Station is Right for My Business Goals?
Understanding the various types of charging stations is crucial due to their differing charge times. If you own a fast food restaurant, investing in a DC fast charger is preferable, as your customers typically spend a limited amount of time at your location. On the other hand, if you own a movie theater, office complex, or sports complex, Level 2 chargers may be more suitable since they require more time to complete a charge. With Level 2 chargers, your customers can plug in and spend hours at your location without worrying about moving their car when charging is complete.
Regardless of your business type, if one of your current business goals is to attract new customers, DC fast charging stations might be a good option, as they are still not widely available. Additionally, considering the evolving nature of EVSE technology, Level 2 stations might eventually be phased out. By providing Level 3 chargers now, you can position yourself ahead of the curve.
How Many Charging Stations Will Be Enough?
In order to future proof your EV charging strategy, you’ll need an idea of how many stations will be enough as more and more people transition to electric vehicles. By conducting a survey, you can gain insights into your customers’, clients’, employees’, or tenants’ thoughts about electric vehicles. This information can help you decide how many charging stations you may need now and down the line.
Beyond that, S&P predicts that the United States will need 700,000 Level 2 and 70,000 Level 3 charging stations to accommodate the amount of anticipated EV drivers by 2025. Companies like HiON Distribution can help you get a better idea of the EV charging demand in your area, but in general, the consensus is that more is better in order to relieve range anxiety and support a new fueling culture in which people can charge their vehicles every time they park.
Can the Equipment and Its Platform Adapt With Upgrades and Expansion?
Along with the charging stations themselves, one should be mindful of how well the station’s software platforms are set up to adapt with evolving technology. Not all charging station manufacturers, or charging station platforms, may be appropriate for a long-term EV charging strategy, as adaptability is key.
Software like Enel X Way’s JuiceNet utilizes intuitive technology that supports grid stability by reducing demand on transformers. It is also designed to reduce the total cost of EVSE ownership through grid participation incentives, which could potentially save a lot of money over time. As an intuitive charging platform, JuiceNet is a much more fluid and adaptable software than some others on the market. (You can learn more about Enel x Way’s JuiceNet platform HERE.)
Plan For The Unexpected
Having a plan is great, but being able to evolve with changes can be equally important and advantageous. While hybrid and electric vehicles are not an entirely new phenomenon, it should be noted that we are still in the early adoption stages of electric vehicles. Consequently, we are also in the early stages of EV charging station rollout and design. Whatever the future holds, HiON Distribution and Enel X Way are invested in the future of EV driving and charging.
