Letter to Local Business, Suggesting Charging Station

WV is pushing/subsidizing EV quite aggressively so I would expect better response in WV.
Surprised to hear you mention Giant Eagle in Pgh, will have to look next time Rt88 is the one we frequent.

 

ChargePoint was offering free stations, hardware, awhile back to small businesses as part of a DOE program. I took the offer to several businesses as a starting point for the discussion and got two initiated. I targeted cinemas and gyms, places where I might spend more than an hour parked and, selfishly, at the far end of my EV range.

Walmart and Sams Club seem to be installing charging stations, but they tend to be in isolated locations that I don't spend too much time at.

I also lobbied the public school board to install 120V outlets in parking lots to encourage student and teacher adoption of EVs, selfishly knowing I could use them during evening sporting events as well.

Rather than targeting an individual business, you might get more traction targeting several businesses within walking distance of each other to sponsor a charging station at a common spot like a coffee bar.

 

I sent an email to the general manager of a local mall. They are the only mall out of 4 in the area without a charging station. I let them know that EV drivers plan their shopping at locations with charging stations and this might help lure shoppers to their mall.

I'll post an update when I receive a reply.

 

A few months back I sent an email to Costco, asking if they had any plans for charge stations. They replied that they'd had a trial program in CA and it was a "flop"....my word, not theirs. Their words were something like "not utilized enough to continue."

 

I agree. It didn't make sense to me that they'd already expended the money to build it then shut it down.

 

For an individual business it is critical that the charging station gets used because it takes away a parking spot from other vehicles/customers, especially if it is in a premium location like next to the entrance. I encourage businesses to install the station in unused areas, safe, but unused.

I will often use a station, even if I don't need to, just to increase utilization, especially if there are two parking spots. I leave a sign on my dash giving permission to unplug my vehicle if someone else needs the charging station, along with a google voice number if they need me to move my vehicle.

What business groups should do is collaborate on these stations and put a business directory at the station, like you would find when you walk into a shopping mall. Pretty soon EV drivers will start combining their casual shopping into their charging spots.

 

Costco is an interesting example. They installed the old style chargers but the tire shops used to park cars inthe spots so when EV drivers showed up the spots appeared to be ICEd. Those in the know new to ask the tire shop to move the cars but most just got frustrated and left. Then when they had the opportunity to upgrade to J1772 they declined the free chargers and pulled the old style chargers out.

 

Which states are we talking about here?
The Costco near my parents' house in Torrance has two charge point units. Problem is, they haven't been initialized properly AND the spots are completely unmarked, making them ripe targets for ICEing.

 

The Costco I used to go to as a kid/teen had 2 of the Magne Chargers in front of the tire shop but when I went back on Friday they were gone.

 

I have sent two e mails to Simon Shopping Malls, big shopping malls here on LI NY. They have not replied at all. JFK airport has charging stations.

 

If I had a BEV or PHEV, it wouldn't make almost no difference to me whether or not I'd patronize them, if I had to pay a rate that was much higher than charging at home.

If it were free, I might be somewhat more likely to patronize.

I seriously doubt that many business from a cost (installation and for electricity) and maintenance point of view (esp. if copper thieves steal the cables to repair vandalized stations) could justify a supposed increase in business from people w/your preference.

 

49 cents per kWh is what they charge at the Mall Of America, now. It was originally $3 per hour.

That's quite reasonable, a very handy when you want a nice parking spot in a busy ramp.

Free isn't a good business model. There's nothing wrong with modest fee for recharging.

 

The flat rate subscription model for charging stations seems to be working very well in Austin and San Antonio. I pay for 6 months of unlimited charging. It is a nice balance of convenience and economy. I plug in when I can and I tend to shop and do business near charging stations.

 

So there are two electronics stores nearby...one has free charging the other does not. What better way to attract relatively high income tech-orientated folks than to have free charging...and it takes a couple of hours to charge so the customers will be inclined to look around a lot rather than be in a hurry to leave?

Businesses give away coupons for $1 off, two for 1. At this time of year many restaurants give away $5 gift cards when you buy a $25 gift card. They are saying give a $25 card to a friend and if you come back we'll give you $5. The cost to buy and install a charging station is thousands of dollars. The cost to operate it is a couple of dollars per day...much much less than all the other marketing that businesses do.

Mike

 

Khols have free charging at some of their stores. They are expanding the program as they found that people using the chargers spent 30 minutes longer and about $50 more in their stores than the average person. Personally I now do most of my business at places that provide either free or reasonably priced charging.

 

Yes Yes Yes. Thats it. Keep customers in your store, mall etc. The cost of free charging is nothing compared to flyers and mailers etc that attempt to do the same thing. If I have to stay in the Mall 3 hours while my car is charging I stay.