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What is EV Charging as a Service?
- Vanessa Peng
- May 11, 2022
Have you heard of EV Charging as a Service? EV Charging as a Service is a risk-free option to having electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on your property. Although you have the EV chargers on your property and can take advantage of the many benefits they offer, you don’t have to stress over the installation, ownership, and maintenance – that is someone else’s responsibility.
What is EV Charging as a Service?
You may be familiar with “as a Service” business models, such as Lighting as a Service or Energy as a Service. EV Charging as a Service is no different, it just involves commercial electric vehicle charging stations.
With EV Charging as a Service, you pay a monthly subscription fee and avoid paying all the upfront costs of equipment, installation, and permitting. You receive a turnkey EV charging solution, which includes installation and management software.
If you choose WattLogic as your EV charging company, you may consider charging employees or the public to use your electric vehicle supply equipment. These charging fees could cover the cost of your subscription fee. Depending on how robust your EV charging station system is you could even see positive cash flow!
Learn more about EV charging by checking out our “Ultimate Guide to Electrifying a Commercial EV Future” here.
After the charging stations are installed, who owns and operates them?
EV Charging as a Service offers nearly every company interested in EV charging the opportunity to have them on site. Without having to worry about the costs and stresses associated with an EV charging installation, you can offer EV chargers to your customers, employees, or tenants and reap the benefits with relatively low costs.
The ownership and maintenance of the EV charging stations are a third-party’s responsibility. If you choose to partner with us, you would be considered the host of the charging stations, and we would be considered the owners and operators.
Who might want Charging as a Service?
Commercial businesses, such as multi-family units (like apartments) and office buildings, should consider including EV charging stations on site for their clients, employees, or residents. At the same time, larger facilities, such as distribution centers, factories, or manufacturing plants would also find EV Charging as a Service useful and beneficial.
Other commercial entities that would immensely benefit from participating in Charging as a Service business models include airports, hotels, parking garages, marinas, and retail centers.
EV charging is an amenity that attracts business and retains customers.
How can a charging station benefit your business?
An EV charger installed through a Charging as a Service agreement allows you to experience the benefits of EV charging without the financial burden. Here are several ways businesses can benefit from charging stations:
- Retain customers and employees: Whether you are looking to recruit talent or increase sales, or both, commercial EV charging stations can help with that.
The U.S. has seen a surge in EV ownership with all research showing no signs of it slowing down. Deloitte, an audit and consulting firm, predicts that total global EV sales will grow from 2.5 million in 2020 to 11.2 million in 2025. Deloitte predicts total global EV sales will reach 31.1 million by 2030.
As more of your customers and employees transition to electric vehicles, they will need a place to charge their vehicles outside of their homes. An EV owner is more likely to patronize or work at a business that provides EV charging services.
- Generate revenue: If you’re interested in offsetting the costs of your Charging as a Service subscription fees you may consider charging EV drivers to use your EV charging stations.
There are several options available for generating fees from EV charging. You could offer employees a pre-determined amount of time/kilowatts of free charging, then tack on a fee if their charging session passes the threshold. Or you could keep it free for your employees during work hours and open it up to the public for a fee after hours. Or you could offer your chargers as public charging stations for 24 hours a day and collect the fees generated from that.
There are some positives to charging your employees, patrons, or tenants. Charging EV drivers to plug in helps to enforce charging etiquette. People who want to park in an EV charging spot due to them being some of the best parking spots in a lot or leave their car in the spot even though they have enough of a charge will be deterred from taking up those spots from drivers who really need them.
Sometimes if you generate enough revenue from charging it could pay off the entire subscription fee with extra money left over, which results in positive cash flow!
- Meet sustainability goals: Adding EV charging stations to your site or building allows you to decrease your carbon footprint. Oftentimes, EV charging stations can help a facility achieve a green building certification.
- Boost your company’s public image: The modern consumer is more likely to support a socially responsible business than one that is not interested in sustainability. Having EV charging stations on your site shows consumers you are committed to their values and care about the community.
- Contribute to your community: You will be helping grow the EV infrastructure in the United States. Electric mobility in the nation cannot expand without having the charging network to support it. Your commitment to EV charging will help EV drivers find ways to keep their cars running and boost EV ownership in your area.
- Put your facility on the map: Once you have your public EV charging stations installed you can choose to include your facility on online databases of places to charge EVs. This helps an EV owner find your location but also puts your facility on the map. Now your facility can be a destination as opposed to a building that may be easily overlooked.
How to choose the best level of charging for your business
If you’re not familiar with EV charging, there are three levels. Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 or DC Fast Charging. Level 1 chargers come with a vehicle purchase and lease and are too slow at charging to be practical for a daily electric car driver. Level 2 chargers charge up to 15 times faster than Level 1 chargers and are a good option for homeowners and well as businesses. DC fast chargers can charge 80% of an EV’s battery in as quickly as 10 minutes and are also a great option for companies depending on what type of business it is and what its charging demands are.
Level 2 chargers are at the lower price point, while DC fast chargers are more expensive due to the electrical work involved.
Multi-family units or office buildings usually go with Level 2 chargers since they are more affordable than DC chargers and have a relatively sufficient charging speed. Other commercial properties with medium- or heavy-duty fleet operations choose DC fast chargers in order to adequately provide for their electric car charging needs. DC Fast chargers are also a good option for businesses along major highways, since most EV drivers stopping at these locations need a quick charge so they can get back on the road.
The installation of a Level 2 or DC fast charger requires a team of electricians to get the job done. Level 2 charging installations will usually require an additional electrical panel. Most electrical panels don’t have enough capacity or breaker space to support EV charging stations since they weren’t made with additional loads in mind.
DC fast charging station installations are much the same just with additional electrical work since the chargers require much more electricity and power output than Level 2 chargers do. Ultimately, the cost of commercial EV charging station installation will be lower than orginially perceived due to incentive and rebate offerings from utility providers and other organizations interested in supporting EV infrastructure growth.
How do you choose which EV charging company to work with?
As EV adoption has grown in popularity, there has been an increase in the number of EV charging companies that claim they can offer you the best EV charging equipment and installation but many don’t have the experience or don’t care about your charging needs.
Choosing to work with just any EV charging service company is risky given the newer nature of the technology. EV charging infrastructure can be difficult to install due to permitting requirements and the construction process it takes to bring power from the grid to the charging ports.
Ideally, you would want to partner with an EV Charging as a Service provider that not only has the experience to do the job correctly but can also provide you with a product that fits your electrification plans.
WattLogic has had dozens of successful commercial EV charging station installations with different types of EV chargers. Unlike other EV charging companies, we don’t just stick to one brand of an EV charger. For us, it’s a case-by-case decision, based on what type of charger is ideal for each particular facility.
We’ve also revolutionized the process of receiving a quote. Fill out our free digital commercial EV charging survey and you won’t have to wait for an electrical contractor to come out to your facility for a site assessment and then send you a quote. Jumpstart your electrification journey and be the innovative business you are – fill out our survey now and just like that you will receive your commercial EV charging estimate in no time!
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