Upgrade Your Office with Workplace EV Charging
It’s becoming increasingly clear, even outside the automotive industry, that electric vehicles are the future of transportation. As the demand for electric vehicles continues to rise, the demand for EV charging will rise right along with it.
For businesses, offices, and shared workplaces, this means adopting workplace EV charging is more important than ever.
Installation and Consultation Experts For Any EV Project
LilyPad EV, powered by Shields Harper & Co., is building the fueling network of the future. We have pioneered charging station planning and installation since 2009, and offer extensive electrical expertise with trusted trade partners. Our recent acquisition by SHC has only improved our ability to provide effective, well-thought-out solutions to meet your EV charging project expectations—no matter your industry.
We’ve worked with over 400 companies across 37 states and have installed charging stations at over 1000 locations nationwide. Our stations have charged EVs more than 2 million times, and we’ve recently been named Chargepoint’s Reseller of the Year. In fact, LilyPad EV Co-Founder and current VP of Business Development, Keith Anderson, was also named Chargepoint’s first-ever Salesperson of the Year!
As our award-winning team proves, we go above and beyond to provide our customers with a dependable experience. Our services include comprehensive consultation for your EV charging needs, site surveying, project management, and professional EV charging station installation.
LilyPad EV is very pleased with the recent Shields Harper & Co. acquisition. Both companies share the same enthusiasm for the expanded deployment of electric fueling infrastructure and have the same approach to working with customers.
We will continue to be industry innovators, pushing the envelope of what can be. With this expertise, you can rest assured that converting your fleet to EVs and outfitting your depots with fleet EV charging stations is an investment in the future of your business.
However, you shouldn’t just take our word for it. We want to give you as much information as possible to make educated decisions for your workplace facility. That’s why we want to explain everything you need to know about why you should install charging centers at your workplace.
Read on to learn more about what to expect, how to get grants, and the benefits of installing workplace EV charging stations. You can maximize your customer base, improve your return on investment (ROI), and future-proof your business.
How Your Business Can Benefit from Workplace EV Charging
The first step in an effective workplace EV charging installation plan is to understand the benefits it provides your office building and workspace. Beyond just being a worthwhile upgrade for the future, EV charging stations provide you the opportunity to make your office more utilitarian and enticing.
Serve Your Team
Electric vehicle drivers have far fewer options for vehicle charging when away from home. Adding EV charging stations to your office building means that your employees don’t have to go out of their way to charge their EVs. This is a simple quality-of-life upgrade that will make your employees feel seen.
Not to mention, with interest in owning electric vehicles at an all-time high, easy-access workplace EV charging can help attract potential employees to your business. All because you’ve made their commute, and lives, a little easier.
Future-Proof Your Facility
Installing workplace EV charging now means you will be equipped to serve EV-driving employees for years to come. Even if you expand your charging network in the future, you have an effective infrastructure in place to build from—saving you time and money.
As for what types of charging stations your workplace might need, workplace EV charging offers the benefit of not needing to be fast. Most employees don’t often leave in the middle of the day. This means you don’t have to worry about fast charging or quick turnarounds when providing charging to EV drivers. This allows you to provide affordable charging services using convenient Level-2 charging stations, an easy integration into your existing parking infrastructure.
Access Grants, Rebates, & Incentives
Another considerable benefit, especially when discussing your ROI, is access to governmental programs. These grants and tax incentives make up most of the resources you’ll have to help cover the cost of installation and maintenance. For example, the IRS provides a tax credit to businesses that install EV charging stations equivalent to 30 percent of the installation cost, up to a cap of $30,000.
Additionally, many state and local governments also provide EV charging station incentives. Some utility companies also offer incentives for installing EV charging stations at your workplace. Since utility providers benefit from people using more power, they may provide incentives for businesses considering installing workplace EV charging stations.
Learn more about EV charging station Incentives→
No matter the source of your incentives, you should make a point of consulting your accountant. Your accountant can help confirm if you qualify and should pursue these avenues to bolster your ROI. Many businesses struggle with the complications of this process, so you should make sure to leverage the assistance of skilled professionals. ChargePoint, our trusted industry partner, has a comprehensive guide to EV charging incentives region by region.
If you need something more hands-on, you should reach out to LilyPad EV. We will set up a meeting to go over your charging needs and how best to maximize your ROI.
How to Make Workplace EV Charging Successful
So you’ve decided to embrace electric mobility, become a modern workplace, and offer electric vehicle (EV) charging to your employees. Maybe you’ve even found grants and incentives to fund your program. That’s great news!
Now, how do you make charging happen? This simple checklist gets you started with an EV charging program that works for your company, your employees, and your sustainability goals—in just 7 easy steps.
1. Decide who’s in charge.
EV charging is typically managed by someone from the facilities team, HR, or a sustainability manager (if you have one). Designate a single point of contact for program success.
2. Survey your employees.
If you haven’t done so already, survey your employees to see who already drives electric and who might switch once you offer charging. Employees are 6X more likely to drive electric when charging is available at work, so make sure to take that into account when planning.
3. Plan a smart installation that works with existing infrastructure and anticipates growing demand.
Once you know how many charging spots you’ll need, evaluate your electrical capacity to see how many stations you can accommodate. Smart solutions like Power Management software can support more charging without upgrading capacity or incurring costly utility demand charges.
Tip: Keep in mind that demand for EV charging will grow fast, so plan for double or triple the capacity you need today. Check for grants and rebates in your area to help fund your program.
4. Decide who can charge and when.
Do you want charging to be for employees only? Would you like to open up charging to the public after hours? No matter your priorities, it’s easy to set an access policy that works for you. Once you set up your policy, employees can request charging access with a simple connection code. Your EV charging program manager can then approve employees to charge.
5. Decide how much it will cost to charge.
Some workplaces offer charging to employees as a free benefit. While this is a common approach, you may want to consider adding a pricing policy. For example, set a fee that goes into effect after a few hours of free charging. This will encourage drivers to move on so others can take a turn. You can also set a different price for non-employees to allow them to charge but discourage them from lingering.
6. Keep an eye on key metrics.
See how many people are charging at your workplace compared with your expectations. If charging has not taken off, ensure employees know how to get a charge! Take a look at your energy costs, too. If they are higher than expected, consider setting a small fee to cover your costs.
7. Grow your program over time.
EV charging is contagious! Once your employees get a taste of driving a better way, more and more of them will make the switch to electric. Keep an eye on your station utilization to help you decide if/when to start planning your next station installation(s).
Things To Consider
EV charging stations can be a significant expenditure, and you should treat this as what it is: an investment. We recommend you approach this conservatively. Consult your accountant and take advantage of every incentive and grant to maximize your ROI.
LilyPad EV would never encourage you to dive into an investment without being fully informed. That’s why we’ve got 3 quick tips for you to make the most out of your workplace EV charging station installation.
1. Dip Your Toes
Don’t jump into installation with dozens of charging stations. Make a point of identifying demand amongst your employees and in your area. In short: plan. You may only need a handful to see significant business benefits. In this case, installing a smaller number of stations now to max out your state or utility company incentives, getting real-world experience, then expanding later as demand and profitability suggest may be advantageous.
Also, don’t just look at the benefits of investing in EV charging. Analyze its costs and requirements holistically.
2. Install General Stations
Focus on general charging stations that service the most electric vehicles. Choosing proprietary charging stations, like Tesla EV charging stations, may sound exciting. However, it’s detrimental to your business long term. With your investment, you want to service the broadest number of electric vehicles, and proprietary chargers only make that more difficult. This is especially true as the rest of the industry progresses with standardized charging station technology.
Though there are many great EV charging station hardware developers, we would be remiss to mention our trusted business partners at ChargePoint. They are leading the way in implementing new charging stations for every type of charging use and have the largest EV charging network in the country.
Their stations are tested, well constructed, and have high utility. Not to mention, ChargePoint has a broad portfolio of distinct types of commercial stations to meet the spectrum of your office’s charging needs.
3. Pick Someone Who Knows What They’re Doing
A lot can go into the installation of workplace EV charging stations. Too much trust in inexperienced providers can impact the success of your investment. As a result, you must find someone experienced.
At LilyPad EV, we take care of the charging stations so you can take care of your business. That’s what you deserve from any installation partner. It’s essential to find someone who has experience, is reliable, and can support your EV charging stations long after the sale. Additionally, looking for a supplier with expertise in various industries means they’re adept at adjusting to dynamic situations and business needs. Little details like this can highlight the difference between dependable EV charging partners from unreliable installers.
Learn about what to look for in EV installers near you→
If you can’t count on turnkey service from your installers, it may negatively affect your business. We hang our hat on doing right by our customers, and you should expect no less from any potential installer you bring onto your EV charging project.
Wanting Workplace Charging? Turn to LilyPad EV and Shields Harper & Co.
LilyPad EV has been here since the very beginning of the EV market. We offer optimized, expert, turnkey solutions to meet your EV charging needs and benefit your commercial or multi-family residential buildings. The knowledge we’ve gained from over a decade of installing EV charging stations makes us an unmatched advisor in all things EV charging.
Now more than ever, investing in the EV charging market can provide unbeatable value to your business. With the current need for electric vehicles only growing, upgrading your fleet is the only way to future-proof your business. That’s why LilyPad EV is here to help guide you through the installation and financing process. No matter your needs, we’re the right team for the job.
Additionally, you can learn more about Shields Harper & Co’s acquisition of LilyPad EV and how we’re working together to revolutionize clean energy infrastructure across the country.
Contact us today to learn more about how LilyPad EV’s commercial EV charging stations can provide a boost to your business.
