Does Your EV Charging Station Have These Amenities?

All businesses have one main goal- Providing the best customer experience. This is true even if you want to set up an EV charging station. Wondering what an EV charging station has to do with customer experience? Well, here's a fact: Charging EVs takes time. We are talking about a minimum of thirty minutes to get at least 80% charge.

Longer charging times mean longer dwell times for customers. To make their charging experience worth the time and money, you need to spruce up your charging station with adequate amenities and services.

Why Do EV Charging Stations Require Amenities?

EV charging is unlike refuelling your car or bike, where you fill it, shut it, and forget it. And let's not forget that even fuel stations nowadays sport coffee shops and mini stores for their customer's benefit. No one's complaining about having a quick cuppa or a packet of chips after filling their gas tanks, are they?

The reason for having amenities in a charging station is more profound with EVs. An EV's charging capacity depends on:

• The battery's charging capacity measured in kilowatts
• Battery size
• Charging options

Sometimes, even the weather determines how an EV's battery remains charged. Besides, once a battery is 80% charged, the charging speed slows down to prevent the battery from being damaged. However, an EV with 80% charge is good to go for hundreds of miles.

So, let's say a customer drives into your EV station to charge their car. Their dwell time will range from at least 15 to 60 minutes, even if you have an ultra-modern charging facility. What will your customers do while waiting for their vehicles to charge? Having all the potential services, amenities, and merchandise within their reach will improve their charging experience and give them a reason to return to your station.
This is also a great strategy to improve business and encourage people to opt for EVs.

So, let's check out the various amenities your EV charging station can have.

List of Facilities to Spruce Up Your EV Charging Station

1. Restrooms

A restroom is the most basic convenience businesses must provide for their customers. Once their vehicles are plugged in, the next thing they may want to do is answer nature's call. A restroom is a must, especially if your station is located on a remote highway or away from the city or town.

2. Lounge area

Having high-volume charging traffic is the key to justifying lounges. From a business perspective, a well-equipped lounge with ample conveniences such as clean bathrooms, WiFi, workstations and a coffee bar could be a valuable money-making factor. Moreover, these lounges would be useful for drivers of ride-sharing services at airports and other high-traffic areas.

3. Food service

Remember that at least 70% of the travellers who stop to charge their EVs wouldn't mind grabbing a quick bite to eat. It would not be a problem for customers to order a sandwich, burger, or burrito for the same amount of time it would take for the car to charge. And let's not forget the number of customers a coffee shop would attract just by having EV charging points in their parking lot.

However, this concept would only make sense if your station has at least a hundred charging stations.

Another ideal scenario that may work for you (especially if you are short-staffed) is to install vending machines. You can also opt for third-party vending machine services for refilling and maintenance.

4. Shops

There's a high possibility for EV owners to make a purchase while refuelling their cars. Think of it- There's no better way to kill time than to browse the aisle of a well-stocked convenience store, grab a few knick-knacks or stock up on the potato chips for kids. This incredible business strategy works both ways: You can install EV charging points at your convenience store or vice versa.

5. Entertainment

Install a wide-screen LED TV and set up a dozen comfy-looking chairs, and you will have a room full of EV owners catching up on the news or watching a cricket match while waiting for their vehicles to charge. A TV will also give weary children some respite from a long day's travel.

6. Air for tyres

Today, almost every fuel pumps have air-filling stations because it has become more of a necessity than a luxury. Besides, most stations offer this amenity completely free of cost. Hence, installing an air-filling station along with the charging outlets only makes sense.

7. Maintenance services

Generally, EVs require very little maintenance. However, you could think about investing in a small maintenance workshop, especially when business picks up and your centre starts attracting more vehicles. You can offer quick or emergency services like:

• Windshield wiper replacement
• Brake replacement
• Tyre rotation
• Wheel alignment
• Car wash
• Car vacuuming
• Waxing

Other services like car wash or self-service vacuum options can also be considered.

8. WiFi connection

Providing WiFi networks to incoming customers is a fast-catching trend. Not everyone will want to watch TV or spend time at your convenience store. You will have customers who would rather spend their time being productive at work. A strong WiFi connection in your lounge could prove immensely useful for customers willing to pay for the service.

Closing Notes

A long charging time is an excellent opportunity to provide facilities that add value to your customer's experience at your charging station. Interested in buying an EV or want to know more about improving your customer's charging experience? Call our team at Nantech Power Systems Pvt Ltd., to gain insightful guidance. Nantech provides the best EV charging solutions in Chennai. Get in touch with us today.