It’s no secret that electric cars are growing in popularity. From hybrids that allow for the use of traditional fuels plus electricity to relying on electricity alone, this type of transportation is here to stay. That raises an important question for municipalities, business owners, and city planners: is it feasible to implement some sort of electric car charging station installation strategy, and what would be the benefits? Here are a few reasons why this type of installation matters and what it would mean to start working on a plan today.
Benefits for Your Tenants and For You
Owners of apartment complexes, malls, shopping centers, and other public places, would do well to consider incorporating EV charging stations into their parking areas. Doing could easily attract tenants who already drive these types of vehicles. In a commercial setting, it would also encourage more consumers who drive a hybrid to do their shopping in those areas, since their cars can charge while they shop.
The stations also help to reduce tenancy turnover. Who wants to move to a different place if there are no charging stations available? From tenants in apartment buildings to business owners who need those stations for themselves, their employees, and their customers, moving would present a lot of challenges.
Excellent for Encouraging Shopping at Specific Venues
Perhaps you own a stand-alone place of business. There’s a parking lot on the property that’s for your customers only. Why not enhance it with a few charging stations?
Place them relatively close to the front entrance. Choose a design that’s easy to connect to a vehicle and that the user can start with ease. Depending on how many people in the area currently own electric cars, you could see an uptick in your business volume. It won’t be long before the increased revenue offset the initial EV charging stations cost.
Great for Those Who Attend Your House of Worship
In order to attract people to places of worship, it helps to make them accessible to everyone. That’s already done by providing ample parking, ramps for wheelchairs, and other features that make it easier for people to come inside and feel comfortable. Why not also make the place more attractive to those who drive electric cars?
Having several charging stations in the parking area sends a clear message to the community: this is a welcoming place for all, including those who may like to charge their vehicles while attending services. Congregations who are looking for ways to benefit the community surrounding the building may also consider this a form of outreach.
Ideal for Those Working in Different Types of Businesses
You definitely want to attract the best employees for your business. It’s great that you already have parking set aside for them. Why not make a good thing better by ensuring there are a number of charging stations that they can use?
Think of what this means for a manufacturing employee who travels a little less than an hour to get to work. The employee arrives, pulls into a parking space equipped with a charging station, and connects the vehicle. By the time the employee’s shift is over, the car is fully charged and ready for the trek home. You can bet that the employee will appreciate the perk and have one more reason to remain with you for years.
Government Buildings & Facilities
We all need to visit a government facility at one time or another. It could be for a day, jury duty, or it could be time to renew a driver’s license, renew your tags, or pick up a fishing license.
Whatever the reason, it would be nice to know that the car’s charging in the parking spot while the business is underway. Since jury duty may last all day, there will be no doubt that the car is charged and ready for the journey home. Even if it’s something like renewing a license, long lines may mean that it will take some time to complete the process. In the meantime, the car’s charging and will be ready to roll once the errand is done.
Hotel Guests Will Love Them
For those who are in the hospitality industry, installing charging stations should be a top priority. They can be a great perk for guests who choose to bring along their own vehicles or rent electric vehicles from agencies. The stations ensure that the vehicles are always ready to go any time your guests want to take off to see local sights or step out for an evening of entertainment. Whether they’re there for business or for pleasure, not having to worry about where they will be able to charge their vehicle will make their stay a little more pleasant.
Supermarkets
Supermarkets are one of the venues that often end up with charging stations before any other commercial operation picks up on the need for them. Why? Supermarkets are one of the places that most people will visit at least once a week. The trip may focus on getting to and from the supermarket or it could be the last stop after running several other errands. In either scenario, the car could likely use a little charging.
Consider that the average time spent in a supermarket can be around a half-hour to three-quarters of an hour, consider what it would mean if the car could charge for that amount of time. Depending on the make and model, that could be sufficient time to replace all the energy consumed by the morning’s errands. That ensures there will be no chance for running out of power before getting home, even if there ends up being some traffic jams along the way.
Advertising Opportunities
There is another factor that many business owners overlook when it comes to the installation of charging stations. The stations are an ideal spot to advertise!. Simple placards or electronic screens can be part of the advertising display. It’s easy enough for a business to use the advertising to promote the day’s specials, an upcoming event that will take place in the building, or deliver some sort of public announcement. With all the applications, the vehicle owner is sure to see the advertising while connecting the car to the charging station.
Different electric car charging companies offer various designs for advertising space. That makes it easy to select a design that fits in nicely with the venue. Best of all, it’s possible to update the advertising as often as the property owner wants.
City Planning
City planners can make use of the data collected after the first round of charging stations are in place. The data includes usage figures which in turn make it easier to determine if the demand merits installing more stations close by. The usage patterns may combine with other factors to project traffic patterns in different parts of the city and project where to install more stations along those routes.
The data collected from existing locales can also aid in structuring the layout for newer parts of the jurisdiction. For example, the data might indicate that building a new school and planning one or more housing communities as the city grows in a given direction would require adding stations to the different elements within those communities. In fact, they may be added even before businesses begin construction near those new neighborhoods.
New Revenue Streams
While it’s possible to invest in commercial EV charging stations and offer them as a feature or perk of doing business with a particular establishment, they can also be a great way to generate additional revenue or offset the initial cost of the stations. This can be great for municipalities as well as commercial properties.
For example, consider the idea of installing the stations as part of the access to a municipal park. People arrive and connect their cars for a modest fee. While they enjoy a picnic or playing some type of sport at the park, their vehicles are charging. By the time they pack up and get ready to head for home, there’s no need to wonder if there’s enough power to reach the destination.
In like manner, businesses may use this as a way to generate more revenue as shoppers spend time in their stores. Being able to charge their vehicles while shopping is a great way to avoid needing to stop for charging later on; many shoppers would consider paying a small fee to be a convenience as well as a great way to save time. Along with making customers happier, the store owner generates enough revenue to cover the cost of operating the stations without having to make use of the store’s main source of revenue.
If you’re considering installing charging stations at your place of business, Electric Vehicle Support, a division of Puget Sound Solar, is your local charging station expert. We can install any charging station on the market, including Clippercreek, JuiceBox and Chargepoint. We are approved Enel-X installers and a Chargepoint O&M Partner.
We provide cost effective solutions for businesses who are considering installing EV charging stations. We handle every aspect of the process for you, including the design, pulling permits, installation, and ongoing servicing of the charging stations. Contact us today at (206) 202-2635 or visit us online at EV Support (Electric Vehicle Support) for more information or to set up your free consultation.
