Questions to Ask the Largest EV Charging Companies

By embracing electrification at your facility, you’re not only solidifying your company’s position as a sustainability leader, but also contributing to the global community in promoting electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Apart from the environmental and cost benefits, installing workplace charging stations brings advantages to businesses and employees. Join the movement with one of the largest EV charging companies today!

Having electric vehicle charging stations can showcase your commitment to sustainability not only to your customers but to the local community as well. As consumers prefer to live in or visit eco-friendly communities, businesses will recognize the financial benefits of having an EV charging infrastructure. 

Your employees can benefit from workplace charging stations as they can charge the electric car while working and not be troubled in finding public charging stations on their way home.

As EV drivers make use of public charging stations when they are on the road, they are appreciative of the accessibility and convenience of EV infrastructure in communities. Finding an EV charging network is easy. EV drivers can search on Google maps or use a smartphone app to find a particular EV charging station location or fast charging stations and even verify station details.

U.S. companies cannot ignore electrification given well-researched predictions that the majority of the nation’s cars will be electric in the near future. As you research different EV charging companies, here are some questions you should ask before you decide on who you’ll be partnering with.

1. What types of charging stations do you offer?

The EV charging stations market is growing every day to keep up with the pace of the rapidly expanding industry of electric vehicles. You’ll need to know which manufacturers and the levels of charger the electric vehicle charging company offers. Find out more about electric vehicle charging station levels here.

The best level and brand of charger for your electric vehicles will depend on your electrification needs. For example, your electric vehicle requirements may work best with DC fast chargers, or you may want to install a Level 2 charging station to fulfill your facility’s workplace charging needs.

Many EV charging companies will offer only one fast charging EV charger brand, which may not be in your best interest. Some may only offer DC fast chargers as it is currently the fastest way to charge an electric vehicle but not every electric vehicle can charge with DC fast chargers. You might want to consider connecting with an EV charging company that can install different brands of electric vehicle charging ports, like WattLogic. That way, you will know you’re receiving the best EV charging equipment and acquainted with the most convenient station location for your unique situation.

2. Do you offer rebates and incentives management?

Setting up EV infrastructure and charging stations can be a budgetary concern but with the many rebates and incentives available for EV charging stations, you could offset up to 100% of the cost of the entire project, including EV charging infrastructure. Rebates and incentives are offered by utility companies, local and state organizations, and the federal government.

For example, Southern California Edison (SCE) offers commercial customers an 80-100% rebate depending on certain factors. We delve more into the SCE ChargeUp! Program here. We also take a deep dive into the incentive, rebates, and tax incentives available for commercial EV charging technology in our ultimate guide, which you can browse through here.

At WattLogic, we offer rebates and incentive management in our turnkey commercial EV charging station package. This means if you partner with us for your EV charging station project, you can choose to collect the rebate without having to figure out how to apply or figure out how to meet qualification requirements.

3. Do you provide leasing or other types of payment options that don’t require a huge upfront cost?

A large commercial EV charging network can be costly so you may want to consider other payment options outside of paying for the entire project upfront. See if the electric vehicle charging company you are considering offers Charging-as-a-Service or leasing options, which may mean the difference between being able to afford an EV charging station for your facility or not. Check out this article to get a better understanding on how much a commercial EV charging station costs.

4. Can you provide additional services, such as fleet management and/or maintenance?

If you’re installing an EV charging station for an EV fleet, you’ll need a way to track and monitor your fleet.

If this is something your fleet management team has not prepared for or doesn’t know how to handle, you’ll want to check with the EV charging company and see if they have a fleet management system or platform they can offer with your EV charging station. This can help make your EV adoption easier for you if your EV charging station project is part of an overall electric vehicle adoption strategy.

If you’re opting for a Charging-as-a-Service option, make sure the electric vehicle charging company offers maintenance of the chargers. As part of a Charging-as-a-Service agreement, you shouldn’t be liable for repairs or damage. Read more about EV Charging-as-a-Service.

5. Are there any hidden costs we should know about?

No matter what you’re buying, it’s always smart to get a full understanding of what you’re paying for before signing a contract. You should do extensive research on electric vehicle fast charging stations and consider their benefits to an EV driver. Be familiar with the electrification needs of your electric vehicles, whether you’ll be needing a DC fast charger or Level 2 charger. Understand the factors that can affect EV charging station costs such as infrastructure, EV charging equipment, software platform, facility upgrades, etc.

These are some of the questions you’ll want to make sure you ask the EV charging company you decide to partner with on your EV charging station project. Electrifying your facility won’t be easy, but working with the right EV charging company can make it a much smoother and simpler process.

The EV charging company you choose should be willing to work with you. The chosen company should provide you with EV charging solutions and suitable customer service that you need to properly charge your fleet or customers. Here at WattLogic we are passionate about this and will make sure your electric car charging station is the ideal one for your electrification needs and will fit your budget. Connect with us: (800) 834-8737 to get started!