EV workplace charging: an upcoming office amenity

EV adoption has been rising at an exponential pace globally. According to a report by ISEA, EV market has a 44% CAGR from 2020 to 2027 and a projected annual sales of 6.34 million by 2027.
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With EV providing an array of benefits, addressing the Challenges in adoption of EV becomes a task of prime importance. One such Challenge is that of having an Extensive Charging facility, for which Workplace Charging plays a key factor in curbing this challenge.
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Electric vehicle market has good future prospects. And with lockdown measures easing off, commute once again is becoming a prominent part of work. Workplaces must acknowledge this fact and plan and prepare for it to gain an advantageous edge.
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Having a Good network of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment or Electric vehicle Chargers at workplace have multiple benefits:
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• With rising adoption rates of EV, workplace charging will soon be a necessary amenity.
•  Having EV charging at workplace shows the commitment of an organization towards clean energy usage and sustainability
• Increase in retention rate of employees, as EVs have comparatively lower maintenance cost than its ICE alternative. Hence, providing a charging facility at the workplace can act as a perk.
• Range Anxiety will be reduced significantly for the Employee, as workplace Charging will increase the driving range.
• Charging stations at workplaces may promote EV adoption by employee to avail the benefits of lower maintenance costs
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With Benefits to multiple entities, Workplace Charging Stations may become an important Amenity. However, to avail maximum benefits that they would provide, organizations must create an action plan for bringing workplace charging stations. The following points provide a guideline for an effective Workplace Charging Program:
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• Increase awareness within the organization - The Employers must communicate the advantages of EV adoption to the employees.This is necessary for any workplace charging program to work. The employees can conduct meetings to explain the cost saving benefits, environmental benefits of the Workplace Charging Program .
• Assessing the charging needs of the organization - Evaluating the demand for EV Charging at the workplace is essential. An organization wide survey is a helpful tool to assess the needs of employees. The Survey will provide a better view on the number of EVs, the charging requirements and future charging needs.
• Selection of EV chargers - The next step in the process would be assessing the factors to select a charging level . the following factors should be considered:    
  

1. Charging Demand - Adoption of AC charging should be preferred when the employees show low interest in Charging station usage.
2. Assessing the requirement of different model types - Charging requirements differ by model types and segments. The employers must carefully assess the present and future charging requirements and have diverse charger types to meet the demands.
3. Charger costs - DC chargers are fairly expensive when compared to AC chargers . however they provide faster charging , a careful consideration of the demand must be made before buying different charger types.
4. Distance Covered in commute - When the employees travel long distances or the Employers' EV fleet is used frequently, fast chargers must be used. AC chargers may be used if the vehicles are parked for longer durations.

• The number of charges required - Having an optimal number of EV chargers in the workplace is essential as low number of chargers may create access problems and high number of chargers may increase setup cost of chargers. Evaluating the represent needs as well as future demands must be accounted for when choosing the number of chargers. Also the charger type may affect the battery life of vehicles. Fast charging on a frequent basis may lead to a high depletion rate of batteries. Having a good ratio of charger types will increase options in charging types and may lead to extension of battery life.
• Selection of sites - Selecting appropriate locations for charging stations is crucial for workplace charging programs. The Distance of the charging station from the electrical service panel has a significant impact on the installation cost. Sufficient parking space must be available for charging . The charging infrastructure must be upgraded to account for both present and future charging needs.
• Installation of Electric vehicle Chargers - The organization should consult with multiple ESVE service providers and conduct a cost benefit analysis among them to choose the best option . Other factors include cost of the charger unit , Electrical demand of the organization, whether or not the organization needs a new transformer, construction of new infrastructure, Software needs for managing Charging station.
• Implementing a user policy - Employers should lay out a clear set of procedure and policy for CHarging station use. Accessibility, usage time and parking are some of the factors around which user policy should be made.
• Maintenance of Charging Stations - organizations can manage the station by themselves or choose a suitable vendor. Most EVSE vendors provide maintenance services on a contract basis.. The range of services provided, the type of chargers setup in the organization and the frequency of maintenance activities are some factors that need to be considered when choosing a vendor.

With Proper Planning and Implementation of a Workplace charging program organization can set up Electric vehicle Charging stations efficiently. With the rise in EV use among individuals, more and more employees are starting to look at EV charging stations as a Workplace Amenity. Organizations must accept these facts and take action to take advantage of such promising opportunities.

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