23 Facts to know before installing an EV charging station at your business

Read this information if you are considering installing EV chargers on your property and want to understand the basic rules of owning a charging station

Mass media resources in the USA buzz with news about building the EV charging infrastructure, distributing federal funding, and providing available incentives to speed up EV adoption. Now is the time for all businesses to grab the opportunity to be a part of the EV movement and install EV chargers on their premises. The only issue is that we have countless resources of online and offline information, and we need time to become experts in a particular field. So, where do you start?

1. Electric car charging stations use AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current).

The grid always delivers electricity in the form of AC power, but EV batteries use DC to charge, which means that the onboard system has to convert the energy for the batteries to accept it. Level 1 and Level 2 chargers convert the power from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) through the onboard charger and deliver them to the batteries. On the contrary, the Level 3 chargers convert the energy inside the station and provide DC power directly to EV batteries. 

2. There are 3 types of EV charging stations. 

• Level 1 chargers, 120V (use Alternating Current), have the slowest power output of 1.4 kW-3 kW and charge depleted batteries in 10-16 hours. 
• Level 2 chargers, 240V (use Alternating Current), have a medium power output of 7 kW-22 kW and charge depleted batteries in 2-8 hours.
• Level 3 chargers, 480V (use Direct Current), have the highest power output of 40 kW-350 kW and charge depleted batteries from 20 minutes to 1 hour.

3. The USA has private and public EV charging stations.

• Private EV charging stations are installed on private properties with restricted access to the general public. Their frequent locations: private residences (houses & apartments), multifamily dwellings, offices, businesses, and other buildings that provide their chargers for employers and residents only. 
• Public EV charging stations are installed on properties that allow the general public to use their chargers and don't limit their access. Their frequent locations: businesses (gas stations, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, gyms, etc.), buildings & offices used by government, municipalities, and other public entities, residential areas, and others.

4. There are 3 types of plugs for electric charging stations.

• Type 1 (single-phase plug) is the standard J1772 used by most EV manufacturers in America and Asia. This plug is compatible with Level 1 and Level 2 electric chargers without requiring an additional adaptor. 
• Type 2 (trial-phase plug) is used on the European market and is only compatible with Level 1 and Level 2 electric chargers in Europe.
• Type 3 (10-pin or 5-pin plug) is CHAdeMO, CCS, and Tesla plug compatible with Level 3 fast chargers. 

5. Every type of commercial EV charging station has a different power output. 

• Level 1 EV charging stations deliver an average of 1.4 kW-3 kW and 3-5 miles per hour.
• Level 2 EV charging stations deliver an average of 3 kW-22 kW and 12-80 miles per hour.
• Level 3 EV charging stations deliver an average of 30 kW-360 kW and 3-20 miles per minute.

6. On average, an electric car consumes 36.5 kWh per 100 miles.

According to statistics, Americans drive 35 miles daily, meaning one full charge is enough for the whole day. In these conditions, if the electric car has a battery capacity of 65 kWh, you will have to spend 2 hours and 57 minutes to fully charge it with a Level 2 charger (22 kW) and only 39 minutes for your quota of 35 miles per day. The conclusion is simple, owners of electric car charging stations don't have to worry about a slow flow of clients that have to spend 6 hours for one charge - 39 minutes is just enough.

7. Not all commercial electric charging stations are "EV chargers," but rather EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment).

While media resources classify both in the same category, EVSE includes not only the charging station but a sum of hardware, software, and all their components (network communication, apps, electrical conductors, protocols, etc.). Even more, some experts say that only Level 3 stations are EV chargers because they use DC power, which doesn't have to be converted to charge the batteries (like Level 1 and Level 2 stations).

8. Only electricians can install commercial car charging stations.

Unlike Level 1 home chargers that anyone can install at home, Level 2 and Level 3 chargers are more complex. Certified electricians are the only ones who should handle the EV charging installation process. Many companies have products warranty that is invalid if someone installs the hardware without specialists' help. Hiring an electrician guarantees that chargers work perfectly and don't have manufacturer issues that you can overlook. 

9. Every type of station has a different charging time for a full charge.

As the power output differs for all three EV charging stations, the time of getting a full battery charge also differs. Many factors influence the charging time, such as the electric charger power output, the EV's battery capacity, the current battery percentage, and the maximum EV charging rate. Charging with a Level 2 station (22 kW) can take 2 hours for a Tesla Model 3 and 50 minutes for Toyota RAV4. 

10. Your business needs only electricity and parking space to consider installing EV chargers. 

11. The owners of the commercial charging station can set their own pricing method.

Usually, owners choose between setting a rate per minute, rate per hour, rate per session, rate per kWh, or a combination of them. 

12. Businesses that have commercial electric car charging stations set their own markup.

Charging at public stations is not free. EV charging station owners are the ones who set a markup for their fees. Factors like electricity price, project cost, and the pricing method dictate businesses the markup they can add to make a monthly profit. 

13. Currently, America has 53,000 charging stations and needs to build 500,000 in total by 2030.

Yes, the EV charging infrastructure is progressing fast and has to move even faster if we hope to achieve this goal by 2030. Together with states and municipalities, businesses can receive funding and speed up EV adoption by providing chargers at their premises. 

14. In 2021, the EVSE market was valued at $3.14 billion, and experts predict a 36.18% growth by 2030, estimated to be $49.20 billion.

For all business owners out there, grab the opportunity while it's still developing. 

15. The last 20% of charging is the slowest.  

This also affects the time EV drivers might spend on the business premises. As with phones, laptops, and other technology, when you start charging a relatively low lithium-ion cell or battery, there are lots of spaces for the ions to find a place for themselves, and the charging is faster. Once it reaches 80%-90%, it takes longer for the ions to find available spaces.

16. It takes longer for EV batteries to charge in cold weather, and they overheat faster in hot weather.

17. EV chargers have a lower carbon footprint than gas stations, and EVs generate zero carbon during their lifespan, while ICE cars continuously pollute our environment.

18. Every EV charging station uses Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity for its software.

Installing proper software is essential to monitoring your commercial electric charging stations. The software application allows you to manage and operate chargers remotely, receive real-time notifications and analysis, set pricing and billings, recover lost data, and has many other useful features. The only condition for getting all these benefits is to add your stations to local network charging operators by providing a Wi-Fi or cellular internet connection. 

19. An average driver spends around 95% of the time in parking, which means offering public charging is a good business opportunity. 

20. A commercial charging station connects to network operators and can be visible on American EV charging maps.

EV charging owners use software apps to operate their chargers remotely and pin their business on public EV charging maps - Google Maps, ChargeFinder, Chargemap, Chargeway, PlugShare, etc. Making the chargers visible on public maps increases the possibility of attracting new clients - EV drivers and making the business a welcoming stopping point on their trips.

21. The Level 2 commercial EV charger is the most common choice for businesses to receive a new revenue stream.

Unlike Level 1 EV charging stations, which are slow and inconvenient, and Level 3, which are extremely expensive - the Level 2 ones are a perfect match for any business. They have high power output and a cost range of $500-$10,000, and installing a single EV station can bring a monthly revenue of $2,000.

22. You can benefit from state/private rebates and incentive programs that cover up to 90% of costs.

 The Biden Administration has approved the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and all 50 states have recently received their initial round of funding. Each state and municipality will offer rebates and incentives to cover up to 90% of EV charging installation and purchase costs. 

23. Companies like Energy5 provide turnkey EV charging solutions and handle all the work for businesses.

If you want to know how Energy5 can handle incentive and EV purchase and installation for you, read more here.