EV Chargers - anyone else installing these?

[HmBrdIn]

More and more of our guests are showing up with EV's (Electric Vehicles) and asking about closest charging stations, ability to "Trickle-Charge" at our inn via standard 110 outlet + extension cord, and suggesting our Inn install them. As I see more and more car companies coming out with EV models, I believe this is the future and we're in the early stages of installing charging stations in our parking lot.

I have 2 questions about this topic:

1. Is anyone else installing/installed/considering installing these?
2. If you are putting EV chargers in (or have some already), are you offering this free of charge (no pun intended) or is there a fee you're adding to the guests' invoice?

 

[GoodScout]

We installed a ChargePoint charger 5 years ago. I highly recommend putting one in (in our case it was essentially free - it cost $500 on Amazon and I got a $500 credit on my electric bill).
We're also seeing more and more EVs in the past year.
My electric company tells me to take a Tesla from out-and-out dead to a full charge requires $8 of electricity. Most charges don't require that much. So I don't add on a charge (pun intended).

 

[Arks]

About 6 years ago Tesla was giving free Tesla chargers to inns, and they even paid for installation in many cases (they no longer give them away free). They gave me a charger and put me on their "Destination Charger" map, which makes my location show up in all Tesla navigation systems as a place people can charge, plus it gives them turn by turn directions to find my inn.

The plug only fits Teslas, so I also installed a generic charger for other brands of cars to use. My chargers didn't get much use the first few years, but the last two years I've had several users every month. I don't charge anything for it, and I even let non-guests use them free.

Mine is the only Tesla charger between Little Rock and St. Louis, and the only charger between Nashville and Branson, so I get a few bookings/month due to having the chargers, and being a good place to stop during a long drive.

As more and more EVs appear on the roads, and as public chargers begin to appear everywhere, I'll probably limit my chargers to only registered guests.

 

[gillumhouse]

Tesla GAVE me both the Tesla Charger AND the J1772 also paying for the installation in July 2015.

In the beginning I had a few reservations because of it. I also listed me on Plugshare.com and altfuels.gov as well as on every GPS in the Tesla vehicles. I have also had a few using the J1772. Back in April I had a GMC Hummer in my driveway charging up - it was being tested on WV roads and for some reason refused to talk to the generator that was traveling with it. Reservations because of them have tapered off because the new Sheetz gas stations near me (at least 3 in the 50 miles of MY I-79 corridor) have superchargers.

It has always bee free to registered guests. I used to charge $15 for a charge-up but people usually were handing me a 20 & I do not always have $5. So now it is $20. I DO get a few charge-ups here & there.

I leave them on at all times (mounted on the side of the house (breaker box is on the other side of that wall). I had a call in 2017 when I was in Finland, a DESPARATE lady asking if I really had a charger. Now that I had her cell number, I told her I would text directions (texts were free). Did not even mention the fee. I know she found it and got juiced up. SHE is why I have always left it on - I do not want anyone stranded. As for cost to me - I really do not even notice the blip on the bill.

 

[GoodScout]

I really have avoided allowing non-guests to use my charger.
In each of the half-dozen situations where someone called or dropped in and asked, it was always someone who had chosen to rent an airbnb rather than stay at my place - and I was quite happy to say that my car charger "was a free amenity provided to and reserved exclusively for guests at my inn." I on a couple of occasions expressed that I hoped the next time they stayed in the area they would consider staying here to take advantage of the free extra (one of many).

 

[Arks]

...someone who had chosen to rent an airbnb rather than stay at my place...

Part of owning an EV is planning ahead! Can't imagine an EV owner planning a trip and not knowing in advance where they would recharge! It's on them, not you!

 

[ChrisandShelley]

I just installed a Juicebox next to one of our cottages a few inches ago. I've already had some business because of it. Great investment.

 

[Morticia]

Part of owning an EV is planning ahead! Can't imagine an EV owner planning a trip and not knowing in advance where they would recharge! It's on them, not you!

They did plan ahead. They assumed that charger was there for anyone.

 

[JimBoone]

Different experience, different guests maybe. Tesla provided charger, maybe one guest driving a Tesla in a year's time, nice vehicles, maybe just not big with our customer base. Usually, several non-guests during the summer who expected a free charge while they rented a home in the area, didn't think they should pay for the charge.

Gentleman from Tesla that I originally worked with was a great guy, later when I had an issue with the charger, he was no longer my contact and their response was more, go way, don't bother us. i expect the use or value will depend on the type of guests booking.

 

[Generic]

We have two Tesla chargers. They gave us the chargers for free, but we had to do the electrical, which required a special box to ensure that it doesn't pull too much from the house, since the house has 200 Amps and there is no way to increase it. But for the life of us, we can't get them to put us on the destination charger list. We have filled out those forms... repeatedly!

But we are on several other charger lists and we do get business because of it. But we also use it for our own car

 

[gillumhouse]

The Hummer that was in my driveway was because the charger that showed up on their GPS - WAS NOT THERE. Another showed at 35 miles away, but they were afraid to trust it considering - they were down to 70 miles. And there I was!

When I get a charge-up, I try to show hospitality. I invite them to come in to the Library where they can watch TV and offer coffee. I look at this as a potential guest and someone to pass the word about us. It is also an extra $20. No one has complained abut the fee.

 

[GoodScout]

They did plan ahead. They assumed that charger was there for anyone.