As EV adoption continues to grow, businesses, organizations, and multi-unit dwellings are increasingly choosing to electrify their fleets, and bring EV charging to their employees, customers, and residents.
However, one industry that will benefit from greater EV charging adoption is hospitality. Hotels and inns often have large parking lots for guests and visitors, but a majority of them have yet to accommodate EV charging. With the number of EVs on the road only increasing, hotels that choose to implement EV charging stations will hold the edge against their competitors, and lead the market. Think of televisions and WiFi, these now standard additions to hotel rooms were once a luxury amenity. According to a JD Power and Associates survey, nearly 20% of the 4,000 hotel guests surveyed expressed a need for EV chargers at the hotels that they choose to stay at. This demonstrates that by not offering EV charging as an option at your hotel or inn, you may be eliminating an entire group of potential guests who are EV drivers, and as we know, the number of EV drivers is only increasing.
EV Charging Gives You the Edge
EV charging is becoming an increasingly appealing amenity for travelers. There are over 1 million EV vehicles on the road today, however, only about a quarter of all US hotels offer EV charging. With the popularity of EV vehicles increasing, whether there is on-site charging is already a deciding factor of the hotels that guests choose to stay at. The lack of EV charging not only affects EV owners, but those who may want to rent an electric vehicle during their travels. By opting for an EV friendly environment, you are leading the future of transportation. Not only does this provide a modern solution and amenity, choosing to implement EV chargers also creates a significant marketing and advertising opportunity for your property.
Your hotel property will benefit from EV charging by:
- Providing accessible charging for guests who drive or rent EVs, employees, and visitors
- Get ahead of your competitors by offering a modern amenity
- Electrify your fleet of vehicles (i.e. shuttles), saving you money long-term
Unlocking New Revenue Streams with EV Charging
Arguably the most compelling reason for choosing to implement EV charging is the additional streams of revenue that can be generated. In addition to the revenue coming in from overnight guests, you may choose to open your charging stations to nearby EV drivers. If your property is located near a busy metropolitan area, attracting EV drivers who want to charge up is a given.
You can monetize these visits by:
- Offering on-site restaurant discounts while charging
- Offering spa and pool access while charging
- Promoting one-time charging or flat rates
- Promoting monthly or yearly charging payment plans
- Promoting event/conference charging for visitors
- Creating loyalty programs for locals looking to charge while shopping or at work
- Creating a QR code based monetization model
These options provide a significantly faster ROI, on top of the long term revenue benefits.
A Lasting Community Impact
Choosing to implement EV charging will make your hotel a pioneer in future-proof technology.
Your business will:
- Support its local community through modern infrastructure and clean air initiatives
- Create a sustainability first mindset
- Receive recognition from local regulatory authorities and politicians, benefiting your organization long-term
- Benefit and build trust with other local businesses
- Create a reliable charging hub for other local fleets and large autos
When choosing an EV charging solution, the more land available to you, the better. Remember, you not only want to build EV charging stations, but an EV ecosystem. Eventually, EV chargers will be a necessity, however you now have the opportunity to grasp new shares of the market, stand out against your competition, and provide a valuable resource to your community through EV charging.
Curious how to get started with EV charging for your hotel? Let’s talk.
