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The Role of EV Chargers in the Future of the Retail Experience

5 min

Powerdot

The role of EV chargers in the future of the retail experience

The vast majority of people’s daily commute is done by cars, and petrol or diesel cars are unfortunately still the most widely spread way of transportation. Despite this, we are now aware more than ever of the way the greenhouse effect and air pollutants damage our environment. For this reason, electric cars are becoming the most attractive option for new buyers, and governments conscious of the environmental crisis are passing laws pushing for these low-emission vehicles. In this scenario, EV chargers play a fundamental role in increasing a clean fleet.

As trends are shifting and new legislations need to be complied with, what does that mean for your parking lot, and how can you benefit from these changes? Learn more about destination charging and why installing fast EV chargers in your parking lot should be your priority.

 

What Is Destination Charging?

The secret to electric cars’ extremely low CO2 emissions is the lithium-ion battery that powers them, allowing them to run without burning any harmful fuel. But this battery needs to be recharged for EVs to work, thus a new solution needs to be created to cater to EV users’ needs. Most of them charge their car at home, but it is both for convenience and because EV chargers are still not widespread enough.

Thankfully, more and more EV chargers are appearing in public and semi-public places, which is called “destination charging.” This type of charging takes place in supermarkets, restaurants, offices, hotels, car parks, and more – in short, it allows users to charge their vehicles in places they would be in for everyday tasks, using the time they spend being busy shopping, for example, to recharge their EV battery.

Destination charging is extremely attractive to EV users and is proving to be an increasingly popular choice. It reduces range anxiety and the fear of ending up with no charge, allowing users to do quick top-ups instead of stopping at a station on purpose. And if it is convenient and efficient for them, it also has undeniable advantages for car park owners who install them.

 

Promoting Sustainability and Gaining Customer Loyalty

Installing EV chargers in your car park is first a great way to contribute to sustainability and be part of this change. It ensures you are doing your part in helping the environment, while also complying with new legislations and getting ahead of them. Indeed, a great number of countries have now pledged to ban the sales of internal combustion engine cars within the next years – getting your car park ready for the EV revolution in advance ensures an easier shift. Moreover, offering more opportunities to EV users, and raising awareness about EV chargers, is sure to encourage others to leap.

On the other hand, making this change shows your customers that you care about the environment, something a great number of the population is more and more passionate about. It demonstrates that your business is willing to build a greener future and sets a reputation as being up to the trend and understanding your customers’ values. This ensures more customer loyalty, as they are more likely to support your business if they feel that your business is aligned with their beliefs. Finally, you are offering them convenience, ensuring they will come back – especially if your car park is ahead of others and offering EV charging services that are still too sparse.

 

Attracting More Customers

As your current customers are gaining in loyalty and keep using your car park, installing EV chargers also attracts new customers. And while the positive reputation your business is gaining certainly has some influence, there is another very practical reason – electric vehicle users are always on the lookout for convenient places to charge their vehicles, and even use maps that show where the nearest charging stations are.

Getting your business pinned on these maps and apps raises awareness about it and ensures new customers will come to you, giving you a competitive edge. Indeed, these charging stations are still not widespread enough, and offering this service before others gives your car park a huge advantage and can make your business stand out, and inevitably bring a new clientele.

Finally, the main reason attracting new customers to your car park matters is because, ultimately, increasing your car park’s footfall is bound to increase the footfall of your commercial space. Customers who initially came because they found your charging stations online are extremely likely to use your services while their EV charges, making use of destination charging and thus becoming customers of your business, bringing more revenue.

 

Gaining Additional Income

As well as bringing more customers, installing EV chargers offer several financial advantages and sources of revenue to your commercial space. Firstly, owners of EVs are generally part of a wealthier part of the population – offering services for them ensures your business will have more customers with disposable income, and then generate more revenue.

Additionally, customers charging their cars in your car park will be encouraged to stay longer in your supermarket, restaurant, gym, etc., sometimes even waiting purposefully for their car to be fully charged, and inevitably then spending more. Whatever your commercial space, offering your customers the ability to charge their car in your car park will change the amount of time they spend using your other services.

Finally, the EVCs in themselves can be a source of revenue – with Powerdot, the revenue of your EV charging stations is shared while we take care of installation, maintenance, monitoring software, and more. Installing fast-charging electric vehicle chargers in your car park then offers a quick return on investment – and since you already have a car space, adding a charger can only have advantages.

 

Install Charging Stations in Your Car Park With Powerdot

Choosing to get ahead on the trend has countless advantages for parking owners, and Powerdot offers you just that. Partnering with us guarantees no installation cost as we invest everything in your location, and no maintenance cost as we take care of your chargers, whatever happens. What’s more, our experts monitor the activity of your chargers with our monitoring software, to better understand your customers’ needs and unlock your potential. Finally, we work closely with all the EV Charging and Mapping apps, ensuring customers will always find your location.

Destination charging is becoming a part of the retail experience, and choosing Powerdot, the number one operator in commercial spaces ensures you will start this shift in the best possible way. Contact us today to learn more about our EV charging solutions.

 

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