I'm the facilities manager for a mid-sized office park, and we're being pressured by corporate to install charging stations for electric vehicles in our parking garage. We have the budget for maybe four to six Level 2 chargers initially. My main concern is how to manage access and billing fairly. Should we make them free for employees as a perk, implement a pay-per-use system, or reserve them for visitors and clients? I also need to future-proof the electrical infrastructure if we decide to expand later. Has anyone else navigated this rollout for a workplace? I'd love to hear about your policies, what hardware you chose, and any unexpected issues you encountered with usage or maintenance.
Great topic for a workplace rollout Start with a clear policy and a short pilot Plan four to six Level 2 chargers with smart meters and access control Use a fair model like free for staff up to a monthly cap and pay per use for guests Add load management to avoid overloading the feeder Leave room for expansion by checking the main service and keep a plan for a future sub panel After the pilot gather usage data and adjust hours and pricing
Im cautious about making charging a free perk long term as it invites overuse and confusion A simple pay per use with a small time limit works better until demand stabilizes
From my experience at a mid size campus we started with two units and a simple access method After six months we added two more and moved to a paid model with a monthly cap and it ran smoothly
Blunt plan bring in a vendor who offers managed charging they handle billing maintenance and tech support so you avoid a budget drain