EV charging stations in Auto Dealerships
According to a survey report from 2020, over 71% of U.S. drivers would consider buying an electric vehicle, this represents a huge market for auto dealerships to exploit. However, as an auto dealership owner, you need to be prepared to make use of this new and expanding market, by taking a step into modernizing the infrastructure of your business to make it EV ready.
Car dealerships will have vehicles parked for long periods of time, making them ideal for long-term charging, however, having multiple EV charging stations installed and connected at the same time can present some important downsides. Let’s find out what issues might show up and how the Electric Vehicle Master Controller (EVMC) can address them.
Challenges of EV Charging Stations in Auto Dealerships
Productivity Monitoring
The traditional approach for non-networked EV charging station installations leaves the power consumption from the EVs unmonitored and unmanaged. This is an important downside for the salesperson since he/she needs an easy and attractive way to present vehicle features to potential customers in a showroom.
The EVMC approaches this issue by providing a full monitoring and energy management functionality that allows monitoring important parameters like voltage, current, power, and energy demand over time. Not only that, but also enables the user to manage power flows and adjust programmable settings that allow selecting different charging strategies. This offers a valuable, interactive, and easy way to showcase EV charging and to address the most frequently asked questions that customers might have regarding having an electric vehicle.
Peak Demand Charges
Another common issue that auto dealerships would face when connecting multiple EV charging stations is a substantial increase in power demand.
Electric vehicles are high-current applications that can demand 40A per branch circuit or even more depending on the charger type. When many EV charging stations are connected to the same meter (as would be the case on a car dealership), this will represent a substantial increase in peak power demand, and therefore, will be associated with high demand charges from the utility that will be added monthly to your balance sheet.
The EVMC solves this problem by setting a programmable and rotational charging schedule for EV stations that uses a single 40A branch circuit and distributes the power from this circuit among up to 4 EV charging stations.
While in the traditional approach, charging 4 EVs at the same time will involve increasing the instantaneous power demand to 160A (very probably increasing demand charges), by using the EVMC you will keep EV power consumption from the utility at a minimum, demanding only 40A from a single branch circuit. This virtually reduces peak demand by up to 4 times and reduces costs associated.
Electrical Infrastructure Upgrades
Finally, a very important issue that can arise from the installation of multiple EV charging stations is the need for electrical infrastructure upgrades. This is highly variable and depends on the ratings of the existing main electrical panel, feeder, and transformer. Considering that typical loads in car dealerships involve lighting, outlets, and HVAC loads, there may be enough rating capacity available to accommodate a couple of EV charging stations.
However, if the dealership owner aims to the future and wants to provide an entire fleet of electric vehicles, then he will need several EV charging stations to keep the EVs charged and ready for rent. In that case, electrical infrastructure upgrades will probably be necessary and if this particularly involves the power transformer, the process can be slow and highly expensive.
Nevertheless, by installing an EVMC you will potentially be able to avoid these expensive upgrade costs while at the same time installing several EV charging stations by using the existing electrical infrastructure of your building. This is possible thanks to its rotational load power distribution management that uses a single line circuit from the main panel to power up to 4 charging stations at the same time. This minimizes the number of spare circuits required in the existing electrical panel to power EVs and also minimizes the electric current demand which highly reduces the chances of requiring an electrical infrastructure upgrade due to increased amperage.
Perks of an EV Charging Station for Your Auto Dealerships
How it Works
EV charging stations are very simple to use.
- Install your CSE1 charger by connecting it to a circuit branch that has an electrical supply of 240VAC.
- Make use of your existing electrical infrastructure by either connecting the CSE1 directly to the main panel board (if possible) or install an EVMC unit to maximize the use of the existing electric infrastructure to charge as many vehicles as possible.
- Set up your CSE1 for standby mode and get EV charging anytime!
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Solutions for Auto Dealerships
The transportation is going through a complete revolution process and the businesses who do not adapt to the new changes will be left out of the market. Of course, we are talking about electric vehicles, which will be replacing gas-based cars sooner than what everybody thinks. Actually, the European Union has already announced a ban on new sales of petrol and diesel cars from 2035 while Biden’s administration has set a new national target to make EVs represent half of all new car sales by 2030. This is just the beginning as similar measures are expected to expand across the world in the following years.
This is why auto-dealerships need to start thinking about changing their traditional fossil fuel based cars to electric vehicles. They do not only provide higher environmental benefits but also increase our independence from foreign natural resources. However, business owners also need to get ready for this change and think about what it means to have an EV fleet for sale. There is no doubt that business owners will need to start considering having an electric car charging station dealership.
Moreover, while selecting equipment that simply charges the electric vehicles is okay, this is just a basic requirement. Smart EV charging stations like the CSE1 provide several benefits that will add substantial value to your EV charging needs. Not only management capabilities but also user-friendly applications and higher power ratings. Let us see some of these extra benefits.
Contact us
- 1921 Ringwood ave, San Jose, CA, 95131
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1-408-436-9830
- info@cyberswitching.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Does My Electric Car Need a Special Charger Interface for the CSE1?
No, the CSE1 is designed with a SAE J1172 Type 1 Charging interface, which is a standard industry connector that all EVs are compatible with.
What Does the Charging Speed Depend On?
The main factor is the power rating of the EV charging station. The higher the kW value, the higher current the EV station will provide and the faster the car will get charged. However, there are other factors that also play a role in the charging speed including:
- EV Battery State of Charge
- Battery temperature
- Vehicle’s voltage and current limits
- Battery degradation
Are EV Charging Auto Dealerships a Good Investment?
The EV industry will not stop and will continue its expansion. For your car dealership to stay in business you must make the switch to an EV based fleet for sale. EV charging auto dealerships will have better chances of making a sale than car dealerships that do not have EV charging stations. Having EV chargers within your property premises also alleviates range anxiety and provides comfortability for users. Moreover, you will also have access to state incentives that promote the development of EV charging stations across the country