What does it mean for a business to have charging for electric vehicles (EVs) at the workplace? Many companies are eager to capitalize on the rising trend toward electrification and are investigating the requirements to install and operate EV chargers for employees, management, and customers. Every business has a unique set of requirements to consider in the creation of an environment to facilitate EV charging. The act of charging the EV battery is just one of many factors, most of which businesses tend to overlook.
It’s not enough simply to install a few EV chargers and hope they will be adequate.
The failure to develop a proactive electrification strategy can cost your company money and resources down the road.
An effective strategy disrupts the typical paradigm of choosing a contractor based solely on price.
Instead, Future Energy encourages our clients to work toward a goal of creating an entire EV charging environment that helps meet their business objectives. The EV charging environment should encompass not only what EV drivers expect but also what they may not even realize they need. Properly done, EV charging at the workplace addresses your business requirements now while also encompassing your company’s future needs.
Benefits of EV Charging at the Workplace
McKinsey predicts there will be as many as 130 million EVs on the road by 2030. By installing EV charging solutions now, your business has the opportunity to show employees and clients that you’re an early adopter.
EV drivers often choose to patronize a particular retail establishment because it offers EV charging. In the United Kingdom, for instance, 60% of EV drivers consider EV charging a key factor in deciding where to shop.
Even dealerships that have yet to increase the amount of their EV inventory might want to think ahead. Dealership staff tend to be early EV adopters, and they will be looking for places to charge.
Cater to Current Employees
Most vehicles are parked 95% of the time, usually at home or at work, according to Reinventing Parking. Employeeswant to charge their EVs at work, especially if they experience longer commutes, so companies who offer EV charging to employees help create a more productive work environment. Employees don’t have to leave the office early or take a longer lunch to charge.
Attract Highly Desirable Workers
As EV sales continue to grow, EV chargers are becoming a must-have amenity for the modern workplace. EV charging is a benefit not only for current employees but also as a recruiting incentive.
Economists at Indeed and Glassdoor predict a significant labor shortage over the next 30 years. Americans with a higher education are more likely to buy or lease an EV as their next vehicle, according to Consumer Reports. The installation of EV charging solutions could help your company attract and retain high-level talent.
Demonstrate Commitment to Sustainability
The Indeed and Glassdoor report also indicated that “company culture is valuable in both attracting and retaining employees.” In fact, according to a survey by LinkedIn, 71% of professionals say they would take a pay cut to work for a company that aligned with their values.
Millennials will comprise 75% of the workforce by 2025, according to Inc. magazine. Offering EV chargers is a tangible way to demonstrate your company’s social responsibility and commitment to sustainability.
Challenges of Workplace EV Charging
Future Energy helps clients proactively manage the many challenges of creating an EV charging environment. From consulting before construction to final installation and maintenance, Future Energy provides a full-service solution called ChargeParc™.
Future Energy’s ChargeParc is more than just a collection of EV chargers. Rather, ChargeParc provides a complete turnkey electric vehicle charging environment that addresses all of a driver’s needs.
Security Concerns
When an EV is plugged into a charger, it must remain in its space until charging is complete. That makes security an issue.
Future Energy believes in state-of-the-art technology to help ensure the safety of electric vehicles while they are charging:
Lighting automatically raises the level of luminance in response to motion detection. Similarly, a security event triggers a change in lighting color. A light turning red, for example, indicates a potential security issue at the EV charging spot.
Security cameras go beyond basic monitoring so that they act proactively. For example, cameras can call the police automatically if they detect breaking glass, a car alarm, or unusual movement.
Reservations and Schedules
Another important consideration for companies looking to install EV charging at the workplace is their reservation policy. In other words, employees will need an equitable way to reserve charging time so there isn’t a backlog of EV drivers waiting to charge at work.
Power Management
Future Energy helps companies to plan their power management strategies. Using our proprietary energy management software, Interface, it is possible to anticipate energy expenses and strategize how best to budget for and recover costs.
Value Propositions for Your Business through Electrification
The value of EV charging solutions lies in understanding their complexity and learning to utilize them for your business.
Building a Winning Electrification Strategy for the Future
Future Energy offers consulting services, collaborating with our partners to develop EV charging solutions that are unique to each business’s needs. We also help ensure that management and other stakeholders align on the goals of investing in EV charging.
Networking EV Charger Hardware
Future Energy manages EV charging challenges by wrapping our EV charging hardware and infrastructure in our software solution, Interface.
Interface provides real-time monitoring and control of EV charging stations, lighting, and video surveillance. Plus, it integrates with security, parking enforcement, and all other intelligent systems on your property.
These networked chargers are visible through onboard vehicle systems or through an app, and the software automates scheduling and removes the burden from the human resources department or other designated person. Drivers can reserve EV chargers as they drive. Similarly, employees can use an app to schedule EV charging for specific times during the workday.
Futureproofing Your Infrastructure
Even if your business only has a few employees driving EVs now, it’s important to prepare for the future influx. For example, Future Energy has a client in New York with 200 employees, most of whom endure a long commute. Future Energy looped an electrical conduit around the parking lot and installed a large transformer in anticipation of the company’s future needs. As a result, the company will not have to wait in line for years at the utility to upgrade its infrastructure as more employees adopt electric vehicles. Instead, the company’s preparation now means it will simply have to order additional EV chargers when the time comes.
Help with Understanding Workplace EV Charging
Offering EV charging at the workplace goes beyond the simple act of plugging in a charger. Contact Future Energy to strategize about how our turnkey EV charging environment can help fulfill your business objectives.
Posted By Sam DiNello
Sam DiNello is Chief Executive Officer at Future Energy. He is an expert in the EV infrastructure space and passionate about innovative data-driven solutions that help companies access real-time intelligence for real-time action.
