EV charging station site hosts can better attract and satisfy customer needs if they focus on safety attributes, according to a new report released today by the Transportation Energy Institute’s (TEI) Electric Vehicle Council (EVC).
According to “EV Market Insights,” four of the five most preferred site amenities and services of EV drivers were related to safety, including elements such as bright lights surrounding chargers and visible security cameras.
Yet fewer than two-thirds of charging facilities surveyed offer these specific services to their customers, TEI noted in the report.
“There have been hundreds of surveys released that ask drivers about their experience, preference and intent,” said John Eichberger, executive director of TEI. “But this is the first of which we are aware that combines insights from drivers with the experience of charger site hosts. This type of analysis is critical if we are to build a charging network that satisfies the needs of both the driver and the site host and provides a business value to those investing in infrastructure.”
According to the report, the most important site features desired by EV drivers included:
- Multiple charging spots.
- Open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week (provided by 52% of sites surveyed).
- Chargers located in a highly visible location (provided by 68% of sites surveyed).
- Bright lighting around charging units (provided by 56% of sites surveyed).
- Visible security cameras (provided by 65% of sites surveyed).
Charging station site hosts that offer these services, plus a playground for children, could potentially “activate” 94.2% of EV drivers to visit their site for their charging needs, said the report.