The ultimate guide of Building EV Charging Stations

I. The Case for Building an EV Charging Station

Building an EV charging station is no small feat, especially if you consider the financial and infrastructure requirements. Regardless, different individuals are beginning to set up EV charging stations at every corner you turn. Here are a few “whys” this situation will continue to grow.

1. Energy Prices– The first reason is the price of energy. This has created an exciting opportunity for consumers to transition to EVs via its competitiveness and a continuous surge. In turn, the demand for installing more charging stations becomes crucial. Furthermore, the transition to EVs provides easy maintenance since EVs have few moving parts.
2. Market Needs – Market for extra charging stations grows daily, with more drivers opting for cleaner energy electric vehicles. Therefore, installing more electric vehicle charging stations will be very much needed. The law of supply is effective here. That is, the higher the number of consumers switching to EVs, the higher the number of charging stations needed to help keep their interests and make charging their EVs hassle-free.
3. The Big Trend of Global Warming – This in our world today has become a primary concern across the globe. The concerns generated by fossil-fuel cars in the high carbon exposure in the atmosphere have made this innovation very much acceptable. Thereby bridging the gap between clean, renewable energy and reduced carbon emissions. And making our environment safe again.
4. Government Policies – Incentives provided by governments worldwide are an added advantage to help consumers easily transition to renewable energy commuting. Considering all the above-listed benefits, it is only reasonable for any visionary government to get behind it and give it a proper push for recognition.

II. Advantages for Businesses

You might not have thought of it before, but a charging station as a business comes with several advantages. The most popular ones include the following.
A. Promoting brand values and the environment – You don’t have to be a major player in the electric vehicle industry before contributing to the environment. The world today earnestly yearns for sustainable ways of keeping the environment habitable. Therefore, installing a charging station(s) might be a way of contributing your quota to the environment where your business thrives as part of your social responsibility.
B. Enhancing productivity and saving costs – Every business wants to maximize the inputs and productivity of its employees. This is so they can function optimally. Do you know what can help? Installing a workplace charging station can help them perform at full capacity. They wouldn’t need to worry about going in search of where to charge their EVs or where to get gas.
C. Exemptions from paying taxes – Tax exemptions could be possible for companies with a similar stand in leaving less carbon footprint by building charging stations. This is possible when companies and the government work together to keep the business and physical environment cleaner and safer.
D. Engage employees – For employees who already drive EVs and sometimes carry their portable electric car charger to work, it is a huge benefit if a charging station is installed at work. It will save them the headache of thinking about charging when they are meant to concentrate on the job at hand fully.
E. Contribute to EV infrastructure development – With more drivers beginning to grasp the numerous benefits of driving an EV, more installations of EV charging stations will only contribute to infrastructural development. This development fosters an increase in electric vehicle acquisition. However, it means more EV owners will be in search of the nearest charging stations to them via the apps on their mobile devices.
F. Boost sales – Most businesses, if not all, set their sights on this. More charging stations in place invite environmentally conscious and clean energy-loving people to own an electric vehicle as well. And by the way, let’s not forget convenient stores around the charging stations also experience a sales boost because EV owners will love to relax and unwind as they charge.

III. Building EV Charging Stations: Infrastructure and Set Up

Before setting up a charging station, EV charger manufacturers often consider a few factors.
Top on the list of these factors includes an appropriate location, the number of stations to be installed due to the demand in that location, and necessary permits that will allow seamless operations in the area from appropriate authorities. In addition, a reliable installation company can also supply and install all the required tools.
An EV charging station is similar to what a gas station looks like, only powered by electric currents. The infrastructure requirements for setting up an EV charging station, as stated by the regulating authority in 2018, include 33kv and 11kv cables, plug-in nozzles, which are quite essential, and transformers for stabilizing the current supplied at such stations.
However, there are other charging infrastructures, such as a hundred-kilowatt nozzle. This infrastructure is often deployed for intensive charging of EVs such as buses. And to ensure the full efficiency of the stations, regular maintenance checks must be done at intervals.
Fleet charging stations may require more standard regulation compliance. However, all charging station services are to comply with all quality regulations. With all this vital equipment, an EV charging station will be operational in no time.

IV. Top 5 Places to Charge Your EV

Different EV drivers have different places they deem convenient for charging. It all depends on their preference for charging, driving habits and charging locations. But we’ll check out some of the favorite charging locations EV drivers love to charge.
Home: No doubt, many EV owners would prefer to charge in their respective houses. This is due to the convenience charging at home offers. With your home-installed charging point, charging can be done while your EV is parked and you are resting for the night. Charging may be pretty slow compared to other types of charging points, but there’s no need to rush (unless there’s an emergency).
Workplace: With charging points in several places around you, the workplace with an installed parking lot charging point also offers the convenience of charging at work. Therefore, if your charging wasn’t completed overnight at home, it can be completed at work.
Gas stations: Although transitioning from fossil fuel to EVs isn’t complete yet, there are gas stations that are installing fast DC charging stations at their depot. So for times when you might want to quickly top-up, you can locate the nearest gas station with an EV charging point installed.
Retail Stores: It is becoming a common thing at retail stores around the country. So, wherever you are, either shopping or on a date, you can charge while at it.
Public stations: The world is gradually transitioning from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles. With The surge in this transition comes the need for more public charging outlets. Top EV charger companies around the world are installing more public charging stations as more drivers acquire their own EVs. Isn’t that good news?

V. Understanding EV Charging Levels and Types of Chargers

If you must take advantage of the different charging options available in the industry, then you’ll need to fully understand the three main charging levels and charger types. Still, you also need to consider other critical factors besides the charging levels and charger types.
These factors, including the onboard charging capacity of your EV, the battery size, and the charging output of the charging station, can either enhance or thwart your charging process.
The first and the slowest is the level 1 charger. The reason for its slowness is the use of residential voltage output capacity that only supplies enough power for home appliances, typically 2.3kW. Often found mounted on walls around the house, hence the name wall-mounted chargers, it takes a minimum of 8 hours to get a significant charge for most batteries. Nevertheless, level 1 chargers are economical as they are often employed for overnight charging when the grid is not at peak usage, and the tariffs are much lower.
On the other hand, the level 2 charger uses a higher voltage output than the level 1 charger and is much faster when charging EVs. Unlike the level 1 charger, it comes in two options: wall-mounted and pole-hung chargers. Nonetheless, its 22kW power supply enables it to charge most EV batteries in 3 to 4 hours.
Level 3 chargers are the fastest of the three, which explains why they are known as DC fast chargers and because they use Direct Current (DC), unlike the other chargers. Its 440kW power supply enables it to charge most batteries to about 80% capacity in under an hour. However, you are not expected to use a DC fast charger as your primary charger. The reason is that they can damage your EV battery if used repeatedly over a short period. The purpose of a DC fast charger is for a quick top-up for when you go to places like the mall or a charging station on the highway where you can quickly top up and keep moving.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, setting up a charging station for business can be quite beneficial, as it enjoys high patronage and good profits as the number of EVs on the road continues to skyrocket. On the flip side, EV owners also enjoy the convenience of charging at home and the cost saving in energy tariffs when charging overnight.
Together, businesses and EV owners reduce the carbon footprints and emissions polluting the environment. At the same time, they help reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, which ultimately reduces the price of gas.