As the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road increases, so too must the number of charging...
From simple gas station amenities to more ambitious plans, the operators of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are focusing on the driver experience. Ian Truscott looks at how some Charge Point Operators (CPOs) are creating a new hybrid space for EV drivers.
As the competition for EV charging hots up and the industry looks to attract drivers to electrification, Charge Point Operators must increasingly focus on the customer experience as they look to differentiate and encourage adoption.
An experience that goes beyond the user experience of the charger, the payment process, and the app that helps them find an available plug; it needs to include what the EV driver will do while they charge their car. A part of the experience that is critical to the customer but completely out of the control of the CPO.
While it’s true that charging times are dropping as the technology improves, it’s still way longer than wet fueling, and there’s time for some shopping or a coffee. So, when charge point operators plan the ideal location for their chargers, finding points of interest is a key data point as the site's success can hinge on whether there is anything around for the EV driver to do while their cars charge.
A challenging, perfect combination of convenience for EV drivers to find and park at, cost-effective access to the power grid, and a safe location with things for the EV driver to do.
However, in the US, some CPOs are taking a different approach and making the charging station itself the point of interest. Companies like Rove, Ionna, and Electrify America exemplify this shift, offering EV owners enhanced amenities and convenience during charging sessions.
Think airline lounge
Charge Point Operator Rove has introduced a charging station in Santa Ana, California, featuring 40 fast chargers, including 28 Tesla Superchargers and 12 CCS chargers, and offers a 24/7 lounge equipped with Wi-Fi, restrooms, on-site security, and a classy mini-market that beats your average 7-Eleven, that Inside EVs describes as “better than any gas station”.
Similarly, IONNA, the charging network founded in the US by BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Stellantis and Toyota, announced they had broken ground on the first IONNA ‘Rechargery’ in Apex, North Carolina. That will have ten fast chargers, with an airport lounge vibe that they call an “indoor driver’s lounge” with not just coffee but food, Wi-Fi, and outdoor spaces. IONNA, according to their press release, plans to establish 30,000 such charging points by 2030.
Image courtesy of the IONNA Press Release
Speaking of the airline lounge vibe, that’s exactly the feel Electrify America is going for with its San Francisco DC fast-charging station. And it’s not just the drivers that charge in comfort, as their vehicles charge under cover.
Images courtesy of Electrify America.
The future of EV Charging as a 'third place’
You could argue that an upgraded gas station experience with wi-fi, clean toilets, and a shop is not exactly a “point of interest”, but these plans are more ambitious than that, looking to elevate the EV charging customer experience to more than just taking the refueling experience we know today and making it electric, but something unique to fit this new product.
And maybe it’s a slight stretch to call an EV charging station a “third place” distinct from home and work that will compare with the pub or your favorite coffee shop, but Fortune magazine makes a compelling case that we might start to hang out there as charge point operators think differently about the business of EV top-ups.
The ambition is to offer not only a point of interest but somewhere where EV drivers can be productive and foster community, just like your local.
Our new third place?
