Plug in Electric vehicles (EV) account for over 20% of new Irish car sales in 2022 to date. Typically, 80% of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging is done at home and the remainder done on route or at what is referred to as Destination Charging.
You will find destination chargers in places like supermarkets, shopping centres and public areas. However, given that a driver is more likely to have taken a longer journey to reach a destination in the hospitality sector, the need for destination charging is much higher.
Booking websites now have filters to highlight Hotels who have Charge Points available. It seems inevitable that all Hotels with parking facilities will require some level of EV charging infrastructure in the new future.
Of course, there will be costs involved in installing charging infrastructure, but we should also be mindful of the value it will add to a business. Early adoption can put a company ahead of its competitors and offer marketing opportunities, by promoting your corporate commitment to renewables and the environment.
Points Which Are In Some Cases Specific To The Hospitality Industry
It is understandable that many are not knowledgeable when it comes to Electric Vehicles and their Charging. So let's cover a few points which are in some cases specific to the hospitality industry…
Q) How long does a car take to charge?
A) Modern EV's have large batteries and can take up to 9 hours for a full charge using a domestic 32A Charger. Commercial premises have more power available so faster charging can be achieved. EV drivers typically don’t let their battery run down very low, so they are not often looking for a full charge.
Q) How many Charge Points are required?
A) This is different for every situation and depends on footfall/Car park size. Some Local Authorities are requiring Charge Points at 10% of parking spaces in new builds, so this may be a good guide. What is worth considering in small car parks is that we should install more than one point. If we have advertised that charging is available, a client will be disappointed to find it in use or out of order when they arrive.
Q) Could the amount of power used overload our electrical system?
A) It is always worth having a survey of your electrical system completed at the early stages. Increasing the size of the utility supply can be avoided by using what we refer to as Load Balancing technology. The Charge Points will read the level of power being currently used in the building and only use what is left available (before a fuse blows or you exceed your agreed utility supply threshold)
Q) Can we collect revenue from the Charge Points?
A) Yes! They can be connected to a back-office monitoring system which will control access to the Charge Points. The driver can pay directly using an App. You can have different pricing (or free use) for guests, staff and general public.
GARO Ireland are part of a Scandinavian group with vast experience in the EV industry.
More Information
For more information on our Electric Car Chargers and to arrange a free site survey, go to www.garoelectric.com and reach out to our EV specialist team.
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