What are EV Charging Station Contractors And Why Are They Necessary?
In the United States there are currently over 52,000 electric vehicle charging stations available for public use. More and more businesses are seeing the value of offering charging options for their EV driving patrons or tenants and are getting in early to establish their property as a known resource for this service. While home charging stations can be relatively easy to set up on one’s own, safely installing charging stations to meet the needs of a business can be much more complicated.
Depending on the size and scale of a business and what they choose to offer in the way of EV charging, a reliable EV charging station contractor can help safely get the job done. Most people, especially business owners, are familiar with the concept of hiring a contractor, but because on-site commercial EV charging is somewhat of a new phenomenon, many business owners may not fully understand why EV charging station contractors are necessary. Let’s examine what role EV contractors play in rolling out a zero-emission future, and what makes some contractors better than others.
What Exactly Does An EV Charging Station Contractor Do?
An EV charging station contractor can help businesses meet their EVSE needs in a variety of ways. First, contractors specializing in EV charge station installation should have expert knowledge and abilities regarding EVSE installation, and they should know the legal and practical requirements for safely installing reliable electric vehicle charging equipment on any commercial property. As with any business, however, contractors may vary in their expertise and skill sets. They also may vary greatly in their quality of work, equipment, project execution, and professionalism, so it is important to vet them thoroughly to be sure they know what they are doing.
Business owners can communicate their EV charging needs to an EV contractor, who can then assess those requests and determine how to make them a reality. Contractors should be well-versed in charging station options as well as the permits and crew requirements for proper installation. Contractors may also help plan and facilitate future EV charging stations to coincide with the business’ long-term growth plans.
How To Choose The Right EV Charging Station Contractor
The first step in choosing an EV charging station contractor is to get a sense of what EV charging goals you have and what the capabilities are at your location. This involves knowing what type of charging stations you’d like to provide, the overall number of charging stations you’d like to offer, and the amount of physical space available to accommodate that number. Knowing whether you plan to build covered structures to house the charging stations may affect your choice of contractors and their licensing requirements as well. Beyond the practical questions regarding EV charging equipment, it’s also important to consider what kind of business relationship you might expect to have with your contractor, as this will affect how easy or enjoyable the installation process may be. Checking online reviews or asking for a peer’s recommendation can help with this.
Here are some simple questions to ask when evaluating EV charging station contractors:
- Can this company deliver the scale of charging stations that my business requires?
- What kind of charging stations is this contractor qualified to install?
- How much does this contractor charge for planning, installation, and maintenance?
- Will the contractor handle the permitting, construction, and commissioning?
- What kind of reputation and track record does the contractor have?
USAFACTS.org reports that the number of EV stations grew by more than 55% from 2020 to 2021. These numbers reflect the growing need for reliable and convenient EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment) due to the boom in electric vehicle sales, and the growing emphasis on cutting our reliance on fossil fuels. In order to reach the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal to have 50% of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030, the number of EV charging stations will have to triple in the next seven years. The good news is, billions of dollars were unlocked in 2022 to help facilitate this growing network of EVSE, which means there are plenty of opportunities and incentives for business and property owners to add charging stations now, and there are more and more contractors available to help fulfill those needs. The next question is, who do you partner with to make this happen?
