Top EV Charging Stations For Commercial Properties
Electric vehicles sales in the United States are projected to grow from 1.9 million vehicles in 2020 to 6.9 million vehicles in 2025. More electric vehicles will drive significant demand for electric vehicle charging options. As a result, all types of commercial properties will need to offer electric vehicle charging stations. This includes offices, shopping centers, apartment complexes, hotels, industrial properties, restaurants, and more. At many of these properties, it will be equally important to offer charging options to employees as it will be to customers, visitors, and tenants.
When property managers look to install EV charging stations they will find a myriad of EV charging station brands. Installers also typically work with one or two preferred brands. As a result, a property manager getting three bids might be recommended to use three different brands. To make things easier Property Manager Insider put together its list of the top EV charging stations for commercial properties. Given the installation costs for commercial EV charging stations, choosing the right product for a property is an important decision.
Top Commercial EV Charging Station Manufacturers
ChargePoint Commercial EV Charging Stations
Publicly traded as SwitchBack Energy, ChargePoint EV chargers are among the most popular in the world. They offer four types of commercial stations including 2 DC fast charging options. Their ChargePoint Express Plus station is capable of delivering 500 kW to a single vehicle, making it one of the most powerful mass produced EV charging stations on earth.
Changepoint currently operates the largest EV charging station network in the United States. This is a great benefit to any property looking to drive revenue off their EV charging stations, because public ChargePoint stations become discoverable in their industry leading mobile app.
With a wide range of commercial products, industry leading software, and easy to use options for generating revenue from public users, ChargePoint is a great overall choice for any comercial property’s EV charging station needs. Click here to learn more about ChargePoint’s commercial EV charging stations.
EVBox Commercial EV Charging Stations
Another publicly traded company, EVBox is one of the largest global suppliers of commercial EV charging stations. They offer three types of commercial charging stations including a DC fast charger that can provide up to 167 miles of range in 30 minutes. Each commercial product is tailored to specific applications with solutions for public charging stations, fleet vehicles, and private commercial needs. Through their network of trained partners, EVbox offers turnkey solutions for installation, commissioning, and preventative maintenance.
EVBox offers integrated charging management software for property managers overseeing EV chargers at multiple commercial properties. This includes easy automatic payment flows and detailed charging insights and analytics. This application makes EVBox charging stations a great option for shopping centers, parking garages, office complexes, and other commercial properties looking to monetize their charging stations.
Overall, EVBox is one of the top EV charging stations for commercial properties because of their turnkey approach. They make it easy to find solutions based on the needs of the property versus a one size fits all solution. Another huge benefit of EVBox is their ability to help property managers navigate the federal tax credit process. The products page on the EVBox website is a great starting point to learn more about their commercial EV chargers.
Blink Charging Commercial EV Charging Stations
With 6 different types of commercial EV charging stations plus mobile emergency chargers, Blink Charging has one of the largest product offerings on the market. They offer AC and DC fast charging stations plus solutions for e-bikes and scooters. All of their hardware operates on their cloud based Blink Network. In terms of core products, Blink Charging is very similar to other global EV charging station manufacturers. What really differentiates them are their EV charging station solutions for commercial properties.
Property managers looking for a hands off solution to their EV charging station needs should consider Blink Charging. In addition to selling commercial EV Chargers, Blink Charging offers unique solutions to commercial properties looking to reap the benefits of EV charging stations, without the headaches of owning or operating them. These programs, known as Hyrbid Owned, Blink as a Service, and Blink Owned, make it easy for property managers to offer electric vehicle charging. With all three programs, Blink Charging handles the equipment, installation, operation, and administration of a property’s EV charging stations.
As a result of these options, Blink Charging is best suited for properties that want to monetize their EV charging stations. While their products are capable in any commercial setting, they might be the best for multi-family or fleet vehicle settings. Property managers can visit their website to learn more about their products and hands off solutions.
PowerCharge Commercial EV Charging Stations
A private company, PowerCharge is another option for commercial properties exploring EV charging stations. They currently wholesale two types of commercial grade level 2 chargers, but do not sell a DC fast charging product. Another turnkey solution provider, PowerCharge assists commercial properties with designing, installing, financing, permitting, and managing commercial EV stations via their partner network.
One major reason for choosing PowerCharge is their PowerCharge Pro Series charger and “Pro-Link” network. These are networked stations that operate with point of sale systems. Drivers simply swipe their credit cards when they go to use the station. This differentiates PowerCharge from other major EV charging manufacturers that require drivers register an account or pay by a mobile app. They also offer non-networked products where anyone can simply pull up, plug their vehicle in, and start charging.
PowerCharge products are a great choice for properties looking to offer easy solutions to drivers. This is true whether property managers are monetizing their charging stations or offering them free of charge. In the United States, ChargePoint products are available through their distribution partner EV Charge Solutions. Property managers can visit their official website to explore ChargePoint products.
Tesla Commercial EV Charging Stations
No list of the top EV charging stations for commercial properties would be complete without Tesla. The most well known consumer brand in the electric vehicle industry, Tesla actually sells just one type of EV charger. It provides 44 miles of range per hour and can be used both indoors and outdoors. While Tesla chargers are sleek, stylish, and affordable at $500, they are not a great option for most property managers. This is because they are proprietary and can only be used to charge Tesla electric vehicles.
Tesla’s charging stations also lack many features that are standard on other commercial EV charging stations. For example, Tesla chargers do not currently accept point of sale or app based payments. Although the payment processing is in development, this makes them a poor choice for commercial properties looking to monetize their charging stations in the short run. Tesla does have a network of 1,400 licensed electrical contractors trained to install their stations. All of their stations are also Wi-Fi enabled which allows for automatic software updates.
In terms of EV charging stations for commercial properties, Tesla’s current products are not a great option for most properties. Multi-family properties in affluent areas with residents who currently own Tesla vehicles are one of the few properties that should consider Tesla chargers at this time. While other manufacturers sell through distributors and certified installers, Tesla charging stations can be bought online straight their website.
ABB Commercial EV Charging Stations
Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, ABB is a multinational manufacturing company with a wide range of EV charging station products. This includes AC charging stations, DC fast charging stations, and even eBus charging stations. Focused on E-Mobility solutions, property managers can view products and solutions designed for commercial public parking, apartments, office buildings, hotels, fleet vehicles, and more on their website. Unlike other manufacturers on this list that operate entirely in the electric vehicle space, ABB manufacturers a wide range of technology focused products used in robotics, automation, heavy electrical infrastructure, and power generation.
In addition to a wide product offering, property managers can take advantage of ABB’s Charger Care service program. With network connected chargers, ABB’s service team is able to diagnose 95% of service cases remotely and resolve 75% with no site intervention. This makes ABB’s commercial EV charging stations a great option for any property seeking a low maintenance option.
EVgo Commercial EV Charging Stations
EVgo is the first company on this list that does not actually sell commercial charging stations on a retail basis to distributors, installers, or property managers. Rather than sell charging stations, EVgo builds, operates, manages, and maintains its own independent network of charging stations. They handle every aspect of setting up an EV charging station at a property from designing the site, installation, and commissioning to ongoing maintenance and customer care. Even better, there is no cost to the property manager or owner!
So what’s the catch? For many properties, there is no catch. EVgo monetizes its stations through one of the largest paid membership platforms in the country. While property managers do not share in revenue, they reap the benefits of increased traffic to their property. This is why EVgo commercial charging stations are partnered with well known brands including Whole Foods Market, Kroger, Wawa, Sheetz, and CBL Properties.
One drawback to EVgo is they have specific selection criteria and will not work with certain properties. They traditionally partner with properties in dense EV markets that can accommodate at least 3 charging stalls with 24/7 public access. As a result, they are best suited for all types of retail shopping centers, grocery stores, shopping malls, convenience stores, hotels, rest stops, and paid parking facilities. Property managers can submit their property on EVgo’s website to see if they are a great candidate for a commercial EVgo charging station.
Free EV Charging Station Installation Quote
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