EV charging businesses should prioritize research over assumptions in choosing ideal locations
Real estate agents aren’t the only ones talking about location.
Will “WD” Scherle of Soulful Synergy LLC told those gathered at the EV Charging Summit & Expo in Las Vegas that understanding the type of location is essential to success. That means more analysis and fewer assumptions about the needs of the EV owners.
Scherle discussed a number of potential location types and what needs to be understood about them.
Gas stations. “The customers need to be comfortable,” he said. Entertainment that engages waiting customers will inspire them to stay – and return, too. And for heaven’s sake, “Don’t put them in the back of a parking lot,” Scherle cautioned.
Recreation areas. This includes state parks. Visitors often spend extended periods at these locations, so they would have time for charging. However, they won’t want to move their vehicles, meaning a single car could tie up a charger for hours. The answer, Scherle said, is hiring employees to shuffle vehicles.
Religious facilities, including churches. These locations often have a great deal of parking space that is only used one or two days per week. That makes churches great potential EV charging sites – especially in crowded urban areas. “Tax exemption gets a little tricky, but that’s for another day,” Scherle said.
Park and rides. These stations are a perfect example of the importance of thorough research before building. Soulful Synergy considering recommending multiple Level 3 chargers at a park and ride. Then they learned that most who park EVs at these sites live within a few miles of home. “You don’t need that much fast charging,” he said.
Houses. Scherle said the future might be different than what many expect. “Maybe have a Level 3 charger in the neighborhood versus a (Level 1) charger in every house,” he said.
Offices. Timing is everything at these sites. It’s fine if employees charge in the morning, but electricity gets expensive in the afternoons.
Transportation corridors. Level 3 chargers are needed, of course, but there also should be some options. “Always support them with Level 2,” he said. “If things go wrong, they won’t get stranded.”
