EV Update: Workplace Charging

More and more people are driving EVs and need to charge them.  Charging is most efficient when the car is parked for more than a few hours, so charging at home and at work are the best options.  Some employees may not be able to charge at home, or the range of their EV may not cover both directions of their commute, so workplace charging is important.

Installing chargers will help meet your sustainability goals and may help recruit and retain employees.

Getting started: How many, where, and what chargers

You don’t need to figure out EV charging on your own. The U.S. Department of Energy launched the new EMPOWER program to walk employers through the process of adding EV charging. Visit https://www.workplacecharging.com/ to connect with EMPOWER (Equitable Mobility Powering Opportunities for Workplace Electrification Readiness). Run locally by the Clean Cities Coalitions of each state, EMPOWER can help you access the right people at utilities, EV charging vendors, financial incentives and rebates, and more. 

But here are some basic considerations:

Level 1 chargers are simply 110 volt outlets.  This is the cheapest alternative.  All EVs come with a charger that can plug into a regular outlet.  These only give an EV about 5 miles per hour of charging, but for an 8 hour workday, it will fuel the ride home for most employees.

Level 2 chargers are 220 volts and charge a car much faster.  This is what most drivers use at home.  A standard charger costs about $500-$1000 plus installation.  A smart charger, with an internet connection, costs much more and entails an annual fee but enables the employer to manage the power supplied.  This can help spread the available power over more chargers, charge the user for the electricity, manage how long users charge, and avoid demand charges.

Share your experience

Tell us (sustainablehanovernh@gmail.com with Workplace Charging as the subject) how you did it or what hurdles you encountered.  Or ask us questions.  And thanks for helping Hanover reach the goal of 100% renewable transportation by 2050.