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EV charger public
14 Sep 2020

Can you make your EV charger available for public use?

robin
By Robin
  • Read time: 3 minutes
The demand for EVs is on the rise, which means that there is a need for public charging points. However, many are still not sure whether they can make their EV charger available for public use. In this post, we have shared information to help you decide whether making your EV charger available for public use is a good move, and how you can do it.

What to know

If you feel that your home EV charger can make you good profits when made available for the public, then go for it. However, there are a few things you will need to know before you make this bold yet risky step.

First, if your charger is currently placed in your garage, you will need to consider repositioning it to become readily available for public use. Electric car charging stations are not permanent, and with the help of a qualified expert, they can be shifted from one position to another.

How to make your EV charger available to the public

Before purchasing EV, people usually ask themselves whether they will have a home charging station for their car or not. At the time of writing, there is a shortage of charging points, and this is a fact that has discouraged many people from buying EVs. Therefore, by choosing to make your vehicle charging point available for the public, you stand a chance to make good money. Here are the things you must do to make your charger ready for public use.

Financial Planning

You will have to spend a lot of money to make your charging station available for public use, as there are several things you should set up. For instance, your charging point will have to be redesigned. These things will cost you money, and without proper financial planning, you will find yourself in a lot of trouble.

Also, letting the public use your EV charging station means higher power consumption. Think about the vehicles that will be used each day, and the approximate power needed to have them fully charged. That way, it becomes easier to estimate the amount of money you will need to handle monthly electricity bills.

EV charger available for public

Pick The Right Site

As already said, you need to choose carefully where you will place the charger. However, this should not be as much of a headache as you might think, especially if you are not planning to go large scale. All you have to do is ensure that you are close to one of your main rooms. This will help you reduce the need for wiring and trenching, which might make you spend way more than you had planned.

When doing this, you must think about your utility because you don’t want the demand to overpower your transformers. If you feel that you are not sure about the electricity needs of the utilities, you must contact your power provider. They will give you accurate information that you can use to make sound decisions.

Consider Safety

The charging will take place where the EV charger is located, and most of your clients will leave their cars in your parking space for up to ten hours at a time. Therefore, you want to ensure that their EVs are safe with you at all times. Even if you choose to leave the charging station in your garage, make sure to avoid all sorts of unauthorised access. Note that unless people are convinced that their cars will be safe at your property, they will be reluctant to utilise your electric vehicle charging point.

Safety can also be in terms of the types of cables you used to charge the vehicles. They come in many forms, and you cannot use them for any car. Therefore, it may be wise to somehow ensure that customers only use the correct cables when charging their vehicle.

Tesla Superchargers public

Pass The Word Out

Most people would consider opening their EV charging stations to the public just so that they can get a little extra money. But it would be best if you still let the word out in case it proves to be a significant business opportunity. For instance, customers like to type electric car charging stations near me when looking for new places to charge their EVs, and you need them to find you. Therefore, think about creating a website where you share tips based on EV charging, and remind your readers that you have a station that they can always use at a fee.

The bottom line

There is nothing wrong with making your EV charger available for public use. However, make sure you create reasonable rules and make them known. Ensure that your clients handle the EV charge point carefully, and if there are any problems with the charging station, they must report to you as soon as possible.

Do you want the charging station mounted on the wall or on a pole?
Is the charging station for business or private use?

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robin

Written by Robin

Writes blogs about e-mobility and climate solutions for 50five.