The range of electric cars keeps growing, and EVs can easily be driven across the country. However, long trips and cross-country driving sometimes still worry EV drivers. Many drivers charge at home or have other alternatives such as charging at work, but some drivers wonder if they will find enough charging stations away from home, especially when passing through states with few options. As more EVs replace gas-powered vehicles, range continues to expand, and flying is more difficult and expensive than ever, the need for chargers will continue to grow.
EVs Will Increase to 30 Million by 2030
According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance
According to HotelManagement.net, “Bloomberg New Energy Finance report, suggests sales of electric vehicles will increase from a record 1.1 million worldwide in 2017 to 11 million in 2025 and then to 30 million in 2030 as the price of manufacturing the vehicles falls.” That’s a whole lot of EVs on road, and all those EVs will need charging. All those drivers will need to stop somewhere, and while gas stations line the roads of America, charging stations do not. State infrastructure is changing that, but recently corporations have been leading the way on cutting-edge technology and social change. Who better to provide what drivers need on the road than the hospitality industry?
Why Hotels?
The hospitality industry is in the business of making people happy and providing what they need. Just like they offer a place to get some rest, a place to eat, or just a place to stop for travelers, it’s a natural extension for hotels to be a place to “fuel up.” Providing EV chargers gives drivers the peace of mind to know there will always be a charger available, and when you provide them to guests, they know there will always be an available charger at YOUR hotel. Drivers who stop to charge their cars are also more likely to stay the night in the place they stop, as well as eat and shop. Providing EVSE makes a great impression on guests, is a major step in sustainability initiatives, and can help your hotel get great reviews on sites like Trip Advisor.
Destination Charging
According to EV Adoption, “destination charging” is on the rise. “EV drivers simply plug into available charging stations at a hotel or resort upon arrival or late at night when their local excursion trips are complete. With perhaps 8-12 hours to charge while their car sits overnight, what is known as Level 2, is adequate and actually ideal for EV-driving guests.” According to Hotel-Online.com, “Forward-looking hotel leaders are realizing there is a real opportunity in catering to EV drivers,” says Geraldine Guichardo, Research Manager with JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group. “A few years ago, that wasn’t the case. But the EV market is growing quickly enough that, for some companies, it simply makes business sense to plan to accommodate guests who drive them.”
Which Hotels Are Enjoying Success with Chargers?
Is your hotel the perfect spot for EV chargers? Many hotels have already made the choice to install chargers. Marriot has featured charging stations for over a decade. According to Denise Naguib, VP of sustainability & supplier diversity at Marriott, “1,700 charging stations at more than 600 hotels, ranging from one unit to as many as 15, depending on guest demand.” She goes on to state that the decision to install the stations begins at the hotel level rather than with corporate, as “some markets have a lot of customers that have EVs and are looking for [chargers].” Hilton launched a dual partnership with Tesla and General Electric three years ago to provide an array of different charging equipment. When Destination Hotels was approached by Tesla to create a partnership, Lamie Sabatier, CEO of Two Roads Hospitality, the parent company of Destination Hotels, thought it was a no-brainer. They were able to attract more tech-savvy and higher-income clientele.
Your EV Chargers Are an Investment In the Future
While some hotels choose to offer EV charging as a free amenity to guests, others want to utilize chargers as a secondary source of income. Blink offers several business models, right for a variety of businesses. We install chargers and add your hotel to our exclusive Blink Network, which allows your business to set hours of operation, control who can and cannot use the station, charge each client, and even remotely operate the station. Networks handle the heavy lifting for you. Advantages of using a network include: providing equipment, keeping tabs on machines, and collecting data that helps businesses track when their machines are used and how often, to plan and maximize profits. Using a network can also consolidate costs and get your hotel listed on EV charging station maps EV charging stations are a great way to help the environment, reach out to more customers, and provide a chargeable service to EV drivers who will become loyal future customers as well. Blink can show you how to add a first-class amenity to your hotel, and a second source of income to your bottom line.