As everyone knows, gas is costly and can fill up a car fast. Thus, purchasing a petrol station and running it as a for-profit enterprise makes sense. But what about outlets for charging electric vehicles? What would it look like to scale EV ownership to the same level as gas-powered vehicle ownership? At charging stations, are there long lines? Are there charging stations everywhere? Have eateries begun to install charging stations so that patrons may charge their electric vehicles while they dine? cinemas that show movies. supermarkets? Will charging stations eventually be found everywhere? When too many people start driving electric vehicles, the gas station business model does not seem like the best course of action. Do I have this wrong?
The issue with DC fast charging in particular is that demand costs levied by utilities are sometimes linked to the maximum speed at which the charger ever draws power from the grid, rather than the actual amount of electricity delivered. Depending on the utility, you can use $100 of electricity in a month but receive a $3,000 charge.
The benefit of offering EV charging to your clients is that they will choose your establishment over those that don’t.
A restaurant that charges will have an edge over those that don’t, even if the pricing is such that it more than makes up for the costs. This will be especially significant to out-of-town visitors.
The station makes virtually no money from gas sales. The convenience store generates revenue for the gas station. It is anticipated that this will also apply to EV charging, but the associated business would need to take a different form. Instead of five minutes, people would be loitering for fifteen to twenty minutes. A coffee shop with a large number of chargers or big-box stores would be a better fit. (In my opinion, the coffee shop is preferable.)
I like how the problem was solved. I saw that the charging solution is a covered two-stall setup. Above that is solar, below that are car chargers in the stall, and below that is servicing equipment and potentially battery storage kept in a pit beneath the two parking spots.
I’m not sure if they were level 2 or anything like 50 kw DCFC, but it was a really neat idea for booths with few space needs.
Purchasing EV charging stations might prove to be a profitable venture, particularly with the growing number of individuals adopting electric vehicles. Making the correct geographical choice, running the business effectively, and taking advantage of government incentives are all necessary for success.