Electric Vehicle Industry Growth
Developing easy-to-make, reliable electric vehicles (EV) has been a challenge of the automotive industry since the first successful EVs hit the roads in the late 1800s. Beginning with a resurgence in the 1990s, the EV industry has developed to the point that they are common to find in any city, growing from 2.1 million cars sold globally in 2019 to an expected 14 million in 2023.
The U.S. is developing the infrastructure needed to supply power to these cars as a result of the rise in EV sales both domestically and around the world. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the number of electric vehicle charging stations has risen from 6,200 stations with just fewer than 15,000 charging ports in 2012 to more than 53,000 stations with more than 140,000 available charging ports.
Commercial charging stations can be a lucrative business venture, provided you consider the customer experience while charging. We’ve made a list of additional amenities to add to your EV charging station to win business and keep your charging customers happy. If you are looking to develop a reliable and engaging electric vehicle charging station, contact us today!
Features to Help Build Your EV Charging Station Business
1. Safe and Reliable Vehicle Charging
Ultimately, EV owners want to have a safe and reliable charging experience. Because charging station standards and regulations are constantly developing, EV charging station providers need to continually improve their products to keep up with changing regulations and improving technologies to better serve their growing customer bases.
2. Car Cleaning Stations and Trash Bins
“Refueling” your car at an EV charging station provides a great opportunity for owners to take the time to clean out their cars. EV charging stations should have readily available trash, recycling and composting receptacles. If you want your charging station to stand out, consider providing additional cleaning accessories like fresh water, glass cleaner, squeegees, cleaning wipes, disposable cloths and hand sanitizer. Charging stations with a wider range of cleaning accessories will attract more customers who will be looking for a good use of their time while charging their cars.
3. Food and Drink Options for Owners
Just like any good gas station, an EV charging station needs to offer food and drinks for purchase. If the station acts as a large-scale public station, consider adding a drink machine, sweet and salty snacks and hot-roller foods like hot dogs and taquitos. If your charging station is more private, perhaps in your business’s parking garage, consider adding drink and snack vending machines.
4. Charging Station Restrooms
Whether on a long road trip or running a few errands around town, an EV charging station is a stopping point for people on the go – and sometimes when you’re on the go, you need to go. Providing restrooms for your customers at an EV charging station gives them one less thing to think about. With easily available restrooms, EV owners can avoid making another stop during their travels.
5. Open Space
Even with high-powered Level 2 and DC Fast Charging stations, EV owners will inevitably have to wait for their cars to get to the charge level they need. Outside of using the restroom, cleaning out their cars and stopping in for a snack and drink, people crave space. Create an open area near your EV charging station where customers can sit and read, eat a few snacks or take their dogs out of the backseat for a quick walk. Include accessible seating areas and other amenities such as a pet relief station, kids play area or filtered water fountains.
6. Public WiFi at EV Charging Stations
Charging electric vehicles takes time. Provide internet access for customers to use for entertainment or knock out a few work emails during their downtime. By providing internet access, customers will be able to save valuable data and roaming costs while they charge their cars.
7. Entertainment
EV charging stations can provide convenience where traditional gas stations cannot. Because it may take up to an hour to get a full charge on an electric vehicle, customers have available time to spend while their vehicle charges. This gives EV charging station providers a unique opportunity to engage with customers for longer than usual. Consider adding interactive games, TVs or other attractions to keep your customer’s attention.
Amenities at Charging Stations Everywhere
EV charging stations are becoming increasingly important as the number of electric vehicles continues to rise across the country. As our EV infrastructure catches up with that of the gas-powered vehicle industry, private companies will continue to compete by improving the amenities at charging stations alongside upgrades to evolving charging technology.
If you are looking to upgrade your public EV charging stations, let Dialectic Engineering help! We offer consulting services to help your business develop, install and maintain an on-site electric vehicle charging station. Learn more about our EV charging station services.
