There are many reasons why you might be looking into an electric vehicle charger for your business’ location. You have many options, too: various types, sizes, and voltage levels offer different charging speeds for assorted electric vehicles.
If you’re considering installing a commercial EV charger, we want you to call your Co-op first so that we can help you properly size your system. Before you call, here are a few questions to consider:
What Is Your Intended End-Use for Your EV Charger?
- Is your EV charger for residential purposes? (i.e., are you a landlord installing chargers for tenants at your apartment complex?)
- Is this charger for your employees to use?
- Do you want to install a fee based or free charger to attract customers to your business?
- If fee-based, do you want to profit from the charger’s energy sales
Number of Plug-Ins
- How many EVs would you like to be able to charge at one time?
Pricing
- Who do you anticipate will pay for the electricity?
- Will this be a complimentary system (meaning you will pay for others to charge)?
Or do you prefer a payment portal to accept money for charging?
- Will this be a complimentary system (meaning you will pay for others to charge)?
Voltage Level
- Level 1 charging: standard 120 V outlet; although this can technically provide power to charge an EV, the charge will be too slow for commercial purposes.
- Level 2 charging: a 240 V charging station offers the same voltage used by many large appliances and can provide most EVs with a full charge in 4 to 6 hours.
- DC Fast Charging: a 480 V charging station that requires specialized, high-powered equipment. Installation and service to one of these chargers is a significant investment. Federal grant funding may be available but depends on many factors. Give the Co-op’s Energy Services department a call for a partnership consultation.
Need To Talk to an Energy Advisor About Commercial EV Charging?
Mark Rawson
Distributed Resource Specialist
Power Resources
Distributed Energy Resources Team
Emilie Windauer
Power Resources Administrator
Power Resources