Top 5 Things to Consider When Planning an EV Charging Network: #2 Equipment and Technology

Next up in our series on building your own electric vehicle (EV) charging network: equipment and technology.

Choosing the products, equipment, and technology that you use for your charging station and network can be difficult, but thankfully there are several tools, providers, and services to help you do so.

In this blog, we will cover the top factors you need to consider when choosing equipment and technology for your network of charging stations, along with possible products and dealers that can help you.

Understanding Your EV Charging Needs

After identifying your target consumer segment and their needs, along with your charging station’s location, you can begin to explore your equipment and technology options. Before purchasing anything, make sure that you are aware of the charging needs that your customers and their vehicles require.

Having already identified your target consumer segment, carefully consider what kind of chargers you might need. We briefly mentioned dwell time in our previous Location blog because it’s a big factor in choosing what type of charger you will need to purchase.

Dwell time refers to how long a vehicle is parked while charging, which will help you determine what kind of chargers your customers will need. For example, if your customers are primarily residential with 40–50+ hours of dwell time expected for their passenger EVs, you will likely opt for Level 1 chargers. If your customers only have 4–10 hours of dwell time to charge a passenger EV in a residential complex, you will likely opt for a Level 2 charger.

Likewise, you will also need to consider whether you need a DC fast charger, which is often used at locations like fast-food restaurants and highway rest stops. These chargers are perfect for customers who need less time to charge their vehicles. As a result, these chargers are also expensive to purchase and operate; however, you can charge customers more per electron to recoup these costs.

See the information below on different charger types, including how long it takes to charge a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) from an empty to full battery, taken from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s EV toolkit on charger types and speeds.

We recommend visiting this resource to find charging times for plug-in EVs as well.

• Level 1 charger: 40–50 hours to charge BEV from empty to full battery, typically located at homes and residential areas.
• Level 2 charger: 4–10 hours to charge BEV from empty to full battery, typically located at homes, workplaces, and public charging stations.
• DC fast charger: 20 minutes–1 hour to charge from empty to full battery, typically located at public charging stations.

With this in mind, you should also work with a third-party provider, unless you have resources internally, to determine utilization rates at your station. Ensure that the investment put into purchasing this technology will pay off in the form of revenue from customer charger utilization. More on this in our Business Plans, Financial Planning, Funding, and Incentives blog.

Planning: Limitations and Possibilities

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with different types of chargers, it is important to consider your charging location’s limitations and possibilities.

For a site with limited electrical grid access or capacity, you will need to consider charging equipment that can tap into the grid without draining it too much. Or you might want to consider finding equipment and technology that can make the most of the electrical grid capacity without causing damage to the system.

On the other hand, sites with a considerable amount of access to electric grid capacity may be able to use technology that can make the most out of electrical use without putting too much strain on the grid. This is where you can explore your technology and equipment options to see which products offer efficiency and flexibility to serve your customers’ vehicles while working within what can be pulled from the electrical grid.

Choosing Technology

Once you’ve identified your limitations and possibilities for your site location, you can decide on technology and equipment.

As a charging station owner, you can choose to reach out to companies directly selling the technology and equipment for EV charging needs, or you can find third-party consultants to help you find the right products. It all depends on your current network of contacts, your needs, and your goals.

At CALSTART, our member companies get access to a network of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), startups, established companies, and more. With this kind of network, you can easily contact organizations to help you with your journey in selecting technology and equipment.

If you are not already in an established network, or if you are looking to build an EV charging site at a residential or commercial area, we encourage you to pursue the appropriate programs that can provide guidance, resources, and information on technology and equipment.

As mentioned before, this is especially the case for individuals looking to bring charging sites to their residential complex or their workplace. Check out the Charge@Work and Communities in Charge programs to explore residential and business charging options.

If you are already in an established network, we still encourage you to pursue these programs to learn more. Keeping yourself and your organization informed while staying in touch with leaders in charging technology and equipment is important. By staying informed, you are doing your due diligence to ensure that your customers get optimal charging access to fit their needs.

Installation

Now that you have chosen your equipment and technology, it’s time to install. Make sure that you have plenty of time to prepare your site for equipment installation and maintenance. There may be a few bumps along the road, particularly with making sure that all equipment can meet expectations with the electrical grid capacity. But this can be done smoothly if you work with an OEM dealer or provider who can help with installation step-by-step.

Funding Your Equipment and Technology

Though installation is an important step in finding equipment and technology, you should first consider your own financial capabilities. When working with a third-party dealer or an OEM, make sure that you are aware of your budget restraints and possible incentives that could help offset costs. This is where planning takes the lead.

Stay tuned for our next blog, where we will cover all you need to know about business plans, financial planning, funding, and incentives.

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Remember that network of OEMs, manufacturers, and organizations that we mentioned earlier? Well, now is your time to join! If you are interested in joining CALSTART’s membership program, email MISTeam@calstart.org.