6 Places Electric Car Drivers Want to See EV Charging Stations

Charging at home is still the priority, according to survey results from Boston Consulting Group. Yet, as more people adapt to life with an electric vehicle, many drivers are eager to see charging options outside of home and work.

Local, state, and federal governments are working to expand charging infrastructure along roadways, and that represents a key step in mitigating range anxiety. But EV charging is also a big opportunity for many businesses and developers to add an important amenity, attract new customers and expand revenue streams.

With that in mind, here are SIX important places to install Commercial EV Charging Stations in 2023.

1. Supermarkets

In terms of public charging locations, supermarkets and grocery stores ranked fourth among U.S. survey recipients, behind only the obvious locations of gas stations, highways and parking garages. The reason is fairly evident: Supermarkets are a regular destination for most people — sometimes multiple times per week. And they often spend long enough shopping to get a substantial EV charge by the time they finish. Many U.S. grocers, including Kroger and Whole Foods, have already begun to add EV chargers to their parking lots. However, the landscape of grocery lots around the country is still sparsely populated with EV chargers, representing a significant opportunity for local grocers and major chains.

2. Hotels, Restaurants, and Other Hospitality Venues

Hospitality is another key industry faced with a huge opportunity from the growing EV industry. Especially for hotels, EV charging is nothing short of essential. After all, a hotel is a home for EV drivers while they’re on vacation, and they need a reliable place to charge before heading out on their next adventure. Forward-thinking hotel chainslike Marriott and Hilton have already developed EV charging programs with EV Connect, and more will follow.

Hotels aren’t the only hospitality provider that should consider adding EV charging as an amenity, though. EV drivers spend significant time at restaurants, cafés, coffee shops and similar venues. Adding EV charging to these businesses represents a smart marketing move to draw in a growing base of EV-driving customers.

3. Multi-Family Dwellings

As noted in the BCG survey, home-based charging is, by far, the top priority for EV drivers in the U.S. However, not all EV drivers own their own homes, and that means they may not have the freedom to install home charging stations. Owners of apartments, duplexes and other multi-family or multi-unit dwellings have a huge opportunity to get ahead of the curve in this arena. Although cities are rushing to provide public charging solutions for renters, more work is needed to meet demand. Rental properties that offer ready charging solutions can attract tenants and even add revenue by charging a competitive rate to use their chargers.

4. Commercial Real Estate

Commercial real estate developers can also benefit from installing EV chargers. As noted above, parking garages surpassed even supermarkets for a top EV charging location on the BCG survey. And, for many Americans, that means parking garages at malls and other major retail centers.

If you own a commercial property, and EV drivers tend to spend more than 20 or 30 minutes in your parking lots or garages, installing EV charging stations can encourage them to choose your shopping center over others in the area. Not only that, but you may attract more commercial tenants, who are eager for ways to lure in the growing numbers of EV-driving employees.

5. Workplace

Retail establishments aren’t the only ones with employees, of course, and other companies need to work hard to attract workers in a competitive environment. Recent surveys show that sustainability should be a key consideration for hiring managers, with 32% of workers saying they would flat-out refuse to work for a company that didn’t make it a priority. Installing EV charging for your officeis only one piece of the sustainability puzzle, but it’s a highly visible one. Plus, if your prospective employees care about sustainability, they’re that much more likely to opt for an EV (if they haven’t already). Setting them up to recharge is a critical way to show your support those efforts.