As electric cars become more popular, people are looking for places to charge them. Despite much improvement, electric cars still have a limited range and a charging time considerably longer than it takes to fill up at traditional gasoline or diesel pump. While the number of charging stations on the grid continues to grow, the number of vehicles on the road may outpace them.
To fill the gap and to support sustainable and green practices, many businesses are installing electrical vehicle charging stations, also known as EV chargers. As a business owner, what should you consider when installing an EV charging station? And what steps should you take get started?
For many businesses where customers spend extended amounts of time, such as retail, restaurants, and hotels, installing EV chargers can be well worth the cost. They can attract new business, support green living, and provide convenience for your community. Here are several benefits for business owners installing electric charging stations.
Installing an EV charging station has an upfront cost. Curbside charging stations cost about $5,000 to $6,000, which can be a struggle for smaller businesses to afford.
The installation location you choose will determine whether you offer a wall mounted or free standing, pedestal unit, which all have different price ranges. EV chargers also draw a fair amount of electricity and often require specifically dedicated circuits. There may be additional costs associated with the electrical wiring needed to meet that demand.
You'll also need to consider how you offer the charger to your community.
When it comes to providing the most convenience for customers, employees or community, many businesses simply ask about their charging stations needs and what apps they use to find charging stations.
Some EV charger providers look for opportunities to lease property for the chargers, allowing you to provide the convenience to your customers and earn the income from the lease. In these cases, maintenance costs and control over amenity charges are absorbed by the provider, however, customer service will fall on you.
Alternatively, you can install and set up your own EV chargers. Your installation company can help you through the installation and setup. Using a contractor that has the right electrical expertise is key to a properly installed unit. Lemberg has EVITP certified electricians especially trained for installing electrical vehicle supply equipment, with over 90 years of experience in electrical construction, energy management, and electrical service.
Lemberg's electrical service team recommends you consider several things before getting started. What brand or type of EV charger will you install? How many do you need? Where is the most convenient place to install them? Should the closest spots to your business contain chargers? What type of features and functionality do you need? Do you need freestanding units or wall mounted? How much electrical and contractor work will you need?
Begin with the EV chargers, the brand, features, type and number. Two-port chargers are often a good option as they can be placed between two spaces and cover both, which can be more cost-effective than one charger per space. This is particularly the case with free-standing pedestals. Pedestals can also hold multiple units, so depending on the design of your lot, one pedestal could easily cover four spaces. Lemberg can construct these kinds of pedestals with a multi-service line so you only have to deal with one contractor.
You'll need to decide whether you will make the chargers open to the public for a cost or keep them restricted to your customers for a lower price. You might also want to set up access controls that allow employees who drive EVs access to the charger as a perk. This can easily be done with most networked chargers.
Having chargers open to the public carries the advantage of attracting new customers looking for a place to charge. However, networked chargers which can be found using an app, are more expensive. Once the charging units are installed they can be activated and, if desired, connected to a network.
Electric car charging station installation can vary in complexity and cost based on the following and more:
If you have a shared lot, consider coordinating with other businesses to save on costs and inconvenience. Also consider future-proofing installations by adding conduit to areas you may decide to add units to if demand increases.
Lemberg can handle the complete process for choosing and installing an electrical vehicle charging station, including digging trenches, laying the conduit, and installing the extra electrical circuit needed. Our well-rounded list of services sets us apart from most other contractors, who can only handle part of your car charging station installation. Our team can take care of the entire process from design to activation.
Contact Lemberg today to find out about cost-effective, quality EV charger installation.