Implementation

  • Several ways can be used to monitor use of chargers. Typically, a separate utility or customer meter would be placed upstream of a particular load. In the case of EVSE, all reputable Smartchargers will have revenue-grade meters built into the hardware. This will be recorded by the software and stored in the cloud for access by the owner/site host.

  • Every situation is unique. A good rule of thumb is: A small building with a large parking lot will most likely not support large loads, whereas a large manufacturing facility, hotel, or multi-tenant corporate building will most likely handle loads. *Depending on demand and increased adoption of electric vehicles, additional infrastructure may need to be added to a site to support the additional loads. In most cases, it is beneficial to have a power study completed on your electrical equipment to ensure sufficient capacity.

  • There are factors to consider when discussing quantity of charge points on a given premises. The use case, number of drivers, location, and type of property will factor local and ADA requirements, along with best practices for EV charging.

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  • Yes. Depending on product, there may be the need to add a cellular extender in the area. Some charger brands provide a site network communication device that either communicates off a dedicated cellular network, or requires a LAN connection to the building network. Cellular and wifi extenders are suggested for users that will activate the charger via smartphone.

  • In some cases this has been feasible. In San Francisco, the city light poles are 208V single phase and were able to support small EV chargers. This is a rare instance. In Most commercial settings, 277V single-phase, or 480V single-phase are more common for site lighting and will not support EV charging. Even if 208V is ran to the site lighting, the conduit may not support additional conductors to support EV charging. This would need to be assessed on a case by case basis.

  • Setup can begin prior to installation and last until all charging ports are communicating with the network properly. Site configuration, payment methods, and accessibility settings will impact the complexity and timeline of setup and recurring management. Some reputable contractors will assist in the setup of the Owner’s dashboard. Owners may want to check with their contractor or provider to understand setup expectations.

  • Several factors go into the upfront cost of a Level 2 and Level 3 EVSE installation. Size of EVSE and distance from power source directly impact cost independent of one another. An example could be a charger located on the exterior wall of a building, directly outside the electrical room will be significantly more cost-effective than the same charger located across the parking lot, mounted on a concrete foundation. Additionally, installing one charger will be more expensive per charger than adding (8) chargers. This is all assuming the electrical infrastructure can handle the load.

  • Installing EVSE is quite simple from an electrical contractor’s perspective. The design, commissioning, product selection, configuration, software setup and management are the areas in which using a reputable EV charging resource will ensure confidence in charging.

Costs & Benefits

  • Several factors are going to drive the cost of an installation. Charger size, product quality and functionality, number of chargers, distance from power source, and capacity to add electrical load all must be considered when budgeting for an installation. Depending on factors listed, Owners and Managers should budget $15k - $55k for serving 1-2 spaces, and $55k - $115k for serving 4-6 spaces. Sites may require significant electrical upgrades, which increase costs. These estimates are budgetary and vary case by case.

  • Revenue collected can help maintain chargers, cover software costs, and even recover project costs. This is dependent on charger utilization and fee settings. One thing to keep in mind is that fees can only be set so high before drivers go elsewhere, similar to gas prices.

  • Different OEMs allow for several ways to set fees. These are also regulated by state governments. Fees can be 1.) flat fee per session. 2.) cost per hour, which may vary from hour to hour. 3.) cost per KWh. 4.) Monthly service fee for members – unlimited use. 5.) Combination of multiple fee methods. Each charging management software works differently. Some will allow direct payments monthly, where others will send a physical check to an owner on a quarterly basis. In other arrangements, a charging management service might have different terms of sending revenue to the owner.

  • Smartchargers can be set up to collect fees in several ways. Although it may be phased out in the future, credit card readers are available on some EVSE models. More common means include phone apps or RFID cards that are linked to a bank account, or pre-loaded with funds by the driver. In the future, firmware upgrades will allow drivers to connect to a charger without an app and the charger will know the vehicle ID, collecting fees automatically.

  • Grants and rebates can come from the federal government, state government agencies, or utility companies. For Level 3 DCFC, the NEVI fund will cover costs for approved sites. Grants funded by the Volkswagen Dieselgate lawsuit are also available at the state level, but need to be watched for as applications typically close fast. Rebates from utility companies typically reimburse residential applications. Some utility companies go as far as full implementation programs for customers in their service territory. See Grants & Rebates in the Resources page for more details.

  • Different OEMs allow for several ways to set fees. These are also regulated by state governments. Fees can be 1.) flat fee per session. 2.) cost per hour, which may vary from hour to hour. 3.) cost per KWh. 4.) Monthly service fee for members – unlimited use. 5.) Combination of multiple fee methods.

  • Smartchargers have the option for free access to users. If fees are desired, they can be set by time, energy use, flat fee, or combination of multiple methods.

  • Software costs are typically driven by the number of ports/parking spaces served. Prices typically range from $150/yr./port to $500/yr./port. A property with (4) level 2 charging ports can expect to pay $600 - $1200 per year in software. A level 3 charger may be 50% - 200% more, per year. This does not include additional one-time setup, site configuration, or commissioning fees.

Grants and Rebates

Grants

They build their own charger, have their own software, and phone app (Flo, Blink, Chargepoint, EnelX, Zef, Autel) Customers like this because there's "one throat to choke" if they have issues

Rebates

ChargeLab, EVgo, EVConnect are just a software platfform that can manage other chargers that don't have their own software (ABB, Siemens, Bosch, Wallbox, Atom Power, and other electrical manufacturers' chargers).

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