Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular as they offer a more sustainable way to get around. With more people considering making the switch to an electric vehicle, providing charging stations is becoming a necessity. Smart EV charging stations provide a number of advantages to both drivers and the businesses that install them. These include improved convenience, enhanced safety, cost-savings and increased customer loyalty.
Improved Convenience
Smart EV charging stations provide drivers with the convenience of being able to charge their vehicles anywhere, anytime. Unlike gas stations, EV charging stations are much more widely available, which means drivers can easily locate one in their area. With the ability to ‘find-a-station’ with a simple online search, drivers have access to all the information they need to find the closest charging station to their location.
In addition, EV charging stations are designed to make the charging process as simple as possible. Drivers can access their charging account with a handheld device at their station to start the charging process. With the option of pre-loaded cards, drivers simply swipe their card and the charging system is manually or automatically triggered. This eliminates the hassle of having to constantly monitor the vehicle’s charging as the station will stop charging when the battery is full.
Enhanced Safety
Safety is always a top concern when it comes to using public charging stations. With a smart EV charging station, several safety measures are taken to ensure a safe charging experience for drivers. These measures include improved cable management, access control and intelligent monitoring.
Improved cable management ensures no cable is left lying around when not in use so as to avoid any potential hazards. With access control, only authorised users with a valid account are allowed to access the charging station, eliminating the potential of unauthorised usage. Intelligent monitoring helps to track and record potential faults in the system, ensuring that any issues can be quickly identified and addressed.
Cost-Savings
Installing a smart EV charging station can also help to reduce costs. Smart EV charging stations are designed to optimise their energy usage by only using the energy they need, significantly reducing the amount of electricity they consume. As a result, businesses that install smart EV charging stations are able to save on their energy bills.
In addition, businesses can choose to use a pay-as-you-go system which allows drivers to pay for the exact amount of energy they use, rather than paying a fixed fee for the energy they receive. This helps to encourage drivers to be more energy-efficient and ensures that businesses can recover their costs.
Increased Customer Loyalty
Installing a smart EV charging station can help businesses to increase customer loyalty. By providing an EV charging station, businesses are able to demonstrate their commitment to green, sustainable living and the EV driving experience. Furthermore, the convenience of having their vehicle re-charged while they’re at the business can help to incentivise customers to come back.
Providing EV charging stations also allows businesses to collect valuable data on their customers. With advanced analytics, businesses are able to analyse the data to identify common trends, find out when the busiest times are and more. This provides businesses with valuable insights into their customer base which can help them to provide a better service and strengthen their relationships with their customers.
There are many advantages of installing a smart EV charging station. By providing improved convenience, enhanced safety, cost-savings and increased customer loyalty, businesses are able to improve their offering and create a better experience for EV drivers. If you’re considering installing a charging station, FullCharge’s EV charging discovery tool is a great way to learn more about your options.