OT: Are car charging stations profit centers?
 

Just a thought that we have space in out parking lot for a car charging station or two where an ATM used to stand. Are they profitable as a side income? Who pays for them and how much do they cost? I would think that there would be a lease to use system for them but just unsure how that industry works.
Bonus would be that we could use them too if/when that becomes the norm.

I am definitely no expert, but I would say maybe it depends on what sort of a business you have? Is it a business where consumers would possibly come in for the 30-60 minutes and spend money (to eat, retail, etc) while charging? As far as what it costs to implement and maintain, I'd be interested as well.

google: tesla charging station franchise

result: https://www.tesla.com/charging-partners

I am sure they have tons of info you can download (or mailed to you?)!

;)

I would doubt they are "profit centers", but more a convenience to attract business to a location....

Our typical patient is here for an hour at least, and we have retail sites on one side, with two gas stations/convenient stores close by. Our parking lot is lit and open 24/7 plus we have 360 security cameras.

I am thinking that it couldn't hurt to have one or two of these available and might even draw more affluent patients in as a convenience.

ok yes but I wouldn't want it to be a tesla only system (for futureproofing).

Aren't there massive federal subsidies for building these?

That might factor in.

The Biden administration included a plan to build a massive # of new charging stations in the infrastructure bill they're trying to pass. (100k or more new ones?)

You would think that would not be a particularly controversial piece of infrastructure, but if there's a big subsidy that might help make a profit on it.

It's very hard for me to believe anything getting a subsidy would be brand specific.

Agreed, my thought process would also be to draw in those who are likely to spend a bit more. You are a business, after all! In my experience, the only one's I have seen in my area are Tesla superchargers. Not general EV chargers, so I think you could be on to something here.

removing "tesla" from the search comes up with a bunch of other options like: https://supergreensolutionsfranchise...icle-charging/

My impression is that "charging station franchise" has a lot of players all trying to figure this out.

For one or two stations, I doubt it as it would be too tight a margin to consider a profit center IMO. The standard J1772 station charges at a rate of about 15-25 miles of range per hour with ranges estimates typically around 3kWh per mile. You can figure local electricity rates on that and then figure in purchase and upkeep costs vs lease costs on a charger. It’s been a while since I’ve paid to use one of those types of chargers but it was around $2 per hour.

As others have said, it’s more about adding convenience and attracting customers.

Do you have a good location for rooftop solar? That can be a good investment on its own, and would be particularly valuable if paired with a charging station.

Someone asked me about adding a charging station to his daughter's restaurant parking lot when he saw me charging my prius. I wonder if just having an unmetered charging station would be a problem in our town. I suppose you could shut it off if it wasn't business hours.

I see there are solutions where a company will put in a charging station and give you some small cut of the profits. They have to convince themselves there is a potential for profiting.

The Tesla charge station near me is in a Carl's Junior parking lot. It's next to an exit off I-40 so the location makes sense, I just don't picture Tesla owners grabbing a quick burger while charging.

I'm not a Tesla owner, but I am friends with a guy who has one; and I drove his. We carpooled from NYC to Williamsport, PA for the Ironcross race. We stopped on the way out and the way back at the charging station at a strip mall. The car tells you exactly how far it can go on its charge. The charging stations are rated as something like "regular" or "fast charge." The charging station was the only "fast charge" one on that stretch of I-80.

We didn't necessarily need to stop for personal needs; but both times we got snacks, coffee, or had a beer at the pub. It takes about an hour to charge. (And the metric is something like miles per charge minute, which works out to something like miles per hour ... I can't remember the exact term, but it surprised me when I heard it.)

I would bet that Carl's Junior makes money on having that charging station. As a person who eats fast food about 2-3 times a year, I would probably have at least a coffee there. My riding friends would certainly have a burger and fries.

Just a note: I believe so far only Tesla do the Super DC Charging??


Not entirely on topic, but what I've learned so far. PHEV purchased 12/2020.

Most EV/PHEV would be a 'Level 2' 220v. Thus I think at least 2 hours for 10kWh. When it is below 45ish degree, roughly add 10-15% time, under 38-40 degree 20-25% longer. Now if the public charging station can do better than my 'Level 2' 220v/20amp @ home. I think the vehicle determines this. Not having used public charging on mine I can not say from experience.

My PHEV Pacifica window to charge around 12-13kWh is 2 hour low warm side, 3:17 longest so far in 30-35 degrees.

When on the road I don't charge my PHEV, just at home @ 11 cents kWh. My factors: Cost at station, the cost in time to charge it [more cost per mile than it uses of gas].

I assume the charging stations are more for pure EV and not Plug in PHEVs like my van. But more and more PHEVs are available and showing up on market.

Side Note; My gas consumption -EV range and hybrid mode after that is averaging 44 MPG in this 2.5 ton van. With more local use of shorter trips it will go up. Yesterday was the first time I did not use the heated seat and steering wheel in the 3 months since taking delivery. This will pop it mid 50MGP of gas use with EV embellishment with the more efficient EV in higher temps. And no kWh eaten with all the heating, least of which heating the batteries/pack to desired operating temp/range etc.

Tesla owners and burgers go together, so thinks Elon Musk Tesla Retro Diner

Around these parts, there's enough free charging that I won't pay to charge. There's a free charger outside the nearby biergarden, down the street. There's also a few nearby restaurants offering free charging. There's free charging at most every shopping mall. And there's Tesla superchargers at most Meijers (big box store). I'd never shopped at Meijer, but now that they have supercharging, I find I run inside and buy some odds and ends while I wait. And more than once, I've been to a restaurant I'd never been to, just because they have free charging available.

As mentioned earlier, I don't think they generate much money directly, rather to attract customers who spend indirectly.