How to plan the installation of a charging station in an office car park?

Are you considering investing in a fast charging station for electric cars in your office? We advise on how to plan the installation of office charging points well. Check how to assess the demand for charging points among employees and find out what factors must be taken into account when planning such an investment.

Installation of charging stations in office buildings

Electric cars are gaining more and more popularity. Thus, the demand for car charging points also increases outside the place of residence. According to a survey, drivers should have access to electric car chargers also at work.

 Access to an office charging station is a great comfort for owners of electric cars. Now also employers are starting to notice the benefits of such a solution. As we mentioned fast charging station technologies in the workplace can strengthen the positive image of the company – present itself as a modern and environmentally friendly enterprise. This takes into account the needs of its employees.

Of course, from the point of view of the employer or building owner, installing office charging points is an investment that requires proper planning. Attention should be paid both to the needs of employees and the potential limitations resulting from, inter alia, from the available parking infrastructure or the form of ownership of the building.

Analysis of structure before fast charging station installation

The starting point for implementing an infrastructure for charging electric cars in the office should be the analysis of employees’ needs. This is an extremely important stage of such an investment. The assessment of the demand for office charging points will help to assess whether the idea is profitable. 

At the very beginning, the employer should find out how many drivers commute to their workplace by electric car. Whether they would be willing to use the fast charging station? It is also a good idea to see if demand may increase in the future. 

For example, someone may already be thinking about buying an electric car, but it is not possible to install a home charger. Perhaps access to a charging point at the workplace would encourage him to make such an investment. 

It is also worth indicating in the survey that access to the charging point would require an additional fee and asking how much employees would be willing to pay for the possibility of charging the car in the office parking lot. 

Fast charging station installation in small companies

Of course, the whole process will be different depending on what size of the company you are dealing with. In small companies, this needs analysis can be much easier to carry out than in very large companies. Nevertheless, the needs analysis is best done with a survey. Here are some examples of questions that may be included in it:

• Do you commute to work by electric car?
• If you are not currently driving an electric car, are you considering buying one?
• Would access to office charging stations affect your decision to buy a car?
• How long is your road to work? (distance in km)
• Do you ever go by car during work, e.g. for meetings with clients?
• Would you use an office charging station if it were possible?
• Would you be able to pay for charging your vehicle at your workplace and how much?

By asking your employees these questions, you will get answers that will allow you to judge if it is the right investment for your company. Additionally, if your employees show interest in such an idea, based on the survey results you will be able to estimate how much a fast charging station would meet the current demand.

Cost calculation of fast charging station

A very important stage in planning investments in office charging stations is also the initial cost calculation. Here’s what affects the final cost of such an investment:

• cost of chargers,
• cost of installing chargers (depending on the number of stations, type, and power of the charging station, the need to introduce changes to the current electrical installation and carry out additional renovation and construction works),
• electrician/construction team services and equipment rental,
• additional functionalities in charging stations,
• electricity charges,
• Costs related to the maintenance of the station.

Obtaining the consent of the building owner for the installation of the fast charging station

Ideally, an employer who considers installing a charging station is the owner of both the building and the car park where the chargers are to be located. Then the entire decision-making process runs relatively smoothly. Unfortunately, in many cases, it is a bit more complicated.

 It often happens that the employer is only the tenant of the office and the owner of the building is someone else. In such cases, he cannot make such a decision himself and it is necessary to obtain the support of the owner of the building.

Therefore, after the initial assessment of the demand for chargers among employees, the employer must convince decision-makers of his idea, presenting them with the greatest benefits of installing a charging station.

 It is also worth presenting the owner of the building with a detailed investment plan at this stage – taking into account the specific number of the fast charging station and their location, investment costs, and obligations related to the maintenance of charging points.

Assessment of the available parking infrastructure

Before deciding to invest in a fast charging station for office car parks, you should also carefully check whether the conditions in the office car park allow for the installation of chargers. We should take into account, among others such issues as:

• the size of the car park and the number of spaces available in it,
• the number of people who use the office car park daily,
• the number of people commuting to work by electric car,
• average parking time in the company’s car park,

The following technical issues should also be consulted with a professional electrician in good time:

• power of the available connection,
• does the available connection power allow for the installation of the number of chargers planned by you,
• Where is the power source?

At this stage, it may turn out that changes to the electrical installations are necessary, and this will mean additional costs. In addition, we must remember that the power available in the place where we plan to install the station affects the type of charger we can install there. 

The power of the fast charging station must be adapted to the power of the available connection. For example, if we install a station with a much higher power than it has the available connection, we may overload the installation.

Necessary formalities for the construction of a charging station – construction application

Before you can start installing the charging station in the office car park, you need to complete the required formalities. It is worth noting that, depending on the destination of the station, these requirements will differ. However, in this case, the formal process is not too complicated – much more restrictive requirements are provided for generally accessible charging stations.

To legally start the installation of an office fast charging station, it is enough to report the planned construction works (it is the so-called construction application). To do this, you need to go to the city office and attach the following documents to the construction application:

• a certificate that we have the right to dispose of the real estate,
• a map taking into account the location of the charging station.

Charging stations for the office – regulations and the most important benefits

The popularity of electric cars continues to grow. This means the necessity to gradually adapt the public space also to this type of vehicle. Soon, the investment in appropriate infrastructure may become mandatory, e.g. for new office buildings. Here’s what companies can gain by providing their employees with access to electric car charging stations.

Charging points in office buildings

The specter of the upcoming changes in the area of ​​electric car charging infrastructure requires business owners and office buildings to take specific steps. Although the biggest revolutions are announced in new construction, there is nothing to prevent us from starting to respond to the needs of electric vehicle drivers now, by modernizing older buildings and thus providing them with the appropriate infrastructure.

 This type of equipment will not only bring benefits to the company’s image, it will translate into greater attractiveness of the property itself, and also indirectly contribute to the improvement of air quality in a given community.

 Investing in fast charging stations for electric vehicles in office buildings is several benefits for employers, employees, and building owners.

Do you want your office to be friendly to electric car drivers? Invest in the right infrastructure now. Find out why you should do this.

Advantages fast charging station in office buildings for employees

Equipping the office car park with charging points for electric cars, including the following benefits for employees:

• Lower risk of quick discharge of the battery– due to the relatively limited access to public charging stations, the possibility of charging the vehicle during working hours is a great comfort for the driver. This reduces the risk of discharging the battery at the least appropriate moment,
• More employees will be able to buy an EV– an investment in office charging stations can be an incentive and incentive to buy an EV. People who so far have not had the opportunity to have an electric car due to the lack of access to appropriate infrastructure for charging it in their place of residence will then be able to afford it,
• Creating an employee-friendly working environment– installation of a fast charging station communicates to employees that the employer takes their needs into account. Thanks to this, they will feel appreciated, and this will certainly also translate into the quality of their work – in this case, not only the employee but also the employer will benefit,
• Greater driving flexibility– thanks to the access to a charging point in the workplace, you can be better prepared for unexpected as well as longer journeys. Unfortunately, not every driver can install a private charger in the place of residence – in such cases, the possibility of charging the vehicle at work can be invaluable.

Advantages of charging stations in office buildings for employers and building owners

An investment in electric vehicle charging stations can bring employers and building owners such benefits as:

• Pro-ecological image of the company– investment in office charging stations will certainly allow you to create an image of an environmentally friendly company and thus perfectly fit into the generally applicable corporate social responsibility trend. Such an investment is a great opportunity to communicate the values ​​with which the brand identifies itself.
• Thanks to it, the company will become not only more EV driver-friendly, but also more “green”, and this is nowadays extremely appreciated by potential customers,

Greater attractiveness for employees –

Due to the increasing number of electric vehicles on the roads, the issue of access to an office charging station may be very important from the point of view of employees. A company investing in a fast charging station comes as very modern and caring for the needs of its employees. 

Thus, its reputation increases, and thus it is easier for it to retain current employees, as well as attract new staff,

• Savings– by creating your fleet of electric-powered company cars and having the appropriate charging infrastructure on the company’s premises, the company can save on operating costs. The operation and maintenance of EVs are generally cheaper compared to internal combustion cars,
• Greater attractiveness of real estate– owners or managers of a specific building can also profit from investing in charging points. Such a modern infrastructure will certainly translate into greater interest in the property among potential tenants. For the owner of the building, it may mean very favorable lease terms in financial terms,
• and a great convenience for customers– this investment will also be appreciated by customers who have an electric car. During the meeting in your office, they will be able to fully comfortably and quickly charge their vehicle.

Are you looking for a fast charging station for office parking lots? Familiarize yourself with our offer. We provide a wide selection of charger models compatible with vehicles of various brands.

Charging electric cars – what are Type 2 connectors and cables?

The type 2 plugin 2013 became a standard in the European electro-mobility market. We explain what this connector is characterized by.

Types of plugs in electric vehicles

Electric cars can be equipped with different types of plugs. The method of charging a specific vehicle depends on the available connector. The necessary accessory to charge the car is a cable compatible with the plugin the car.

There are plugs at both ends of the cable – one plugs into the vehicle socket and the other plugs into the charging station. It should be noted that charging with alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) requires different types of cables – dedicated to specific plugs.

 The charging cable is one of the most important elements, so we should always carry it in the trunk. It happens that fast charging stations come with cables (usually type 2), but just in case it is worth having your own.

As a standard, newly manufactured vehicles have at least one outlet that allows them to be charged with alternating current. In the case of some car models, we can also find additional sockets enabling DC charging.

In this article, we will focus on charging electric vehicles with alternating current using a type 2 cable. You can read about the other types of plugs in our article How to choose an electric car charging station.

Type 2 cables in electric cars

Type 2 plugs have become a standard on the European market – the vast majority of currently produced vehicles come with this type of connector. Such plugs are available in some models of brands such as Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, Tesla, and Renault. Of course, there are also electric cars with a type 1 plug on our roads, but they are in the vast minority. Type 1 connectors can be found mainly in vehicles of French or Japanese manufacturers. However, in their case, type 2 plugs are becoming more and more popular.

The Type 2 plug has become standard on European roads

 Type 2 cable (dedicated to vehicles with a type 2 plug) allows you to charge the vehicle with both slow, medium-fast, and fast chargers available at the fast charging station and home. It is worth knowing that chargers made available for public use, e.g. at stations, parking lots, in front of shops, in most cases come with a type 2 connector.

Therefore, regardless of whether the vehicle has a type 1 or 2 connectors, the cable used for its charging with direct current at least on one side will always be terminated with a type 2 plug.

Cars equipped with a type 2 connector can be charged with 1-phase or 3-phase current. When it comes to single-phase installations, type 2 connectors allow you to charge the car with a power of 3.6 kW. However, in the case of 3-phase installations, the vehicle is easy to charge with a power of up to 44 kW.  

Which type of plug is better?

Basically, the Type 2 cable provides alternating current to the vehicle, and the battery in it uses direct current. Therefore, we must take into account that the actual power with which we can charge the vehicle depends on the charger built into it.

This is best explained with a specific example. Imagine you are connecting your car to a 22 kW charging station. On the other hand, the internal charger in your car has a power of 7.4 kW. In such a situation, the charging station can provide much more power than the internal charger. We can still charge the car the car will still be charged with 7.4 kW.

It is also worth mentioning that the type 2 connector is partially compatible with the CCS Combo 2 socket, which enables AC or DC charging of the vehicle. By connecting the Type 2 cable to the top of the CCS plug, we can charge the vehicle with AC power.

Which cable to choose for an electric vehicle?

To sum up, the cable used to charge the vehicle should always be matched to the plug located in the vehicle. The majority of electric cars in our home market come with a type 2 plug. Thus, a type 2 cable will allow us to easily top up the energy in the vehicle in a home garage or at a fast charging station.

Fast charging station – the most important technical requirements

Are you the owner of an electric car? Check what requirements the infrastructure for charging this type of vehicle should meet.

Public charging stations – legal regulations

Due to the dynamic development of electro mobility in our country, every owner of an electric vehicle should be aware of the technical requirements currently required by charging stations. Greater knowledge in the area of ​​applicable regulations will make the operation of both public and private devices safer. 

What requirements must the charging stations meet?

Below we have compiled a few of the most important provisions regarding the technical requirements for public vehicle charging stations – for more detailed information, please refer to the aforementioned documents. These are the current legal regulations.

1. Basic information

Fast charging stations and points, following the ordinance of the Minister of Energy, should be appropriately marked. It is required that the devices available for use contain information such as the manufacturer’s name, device type, serial number, rated voltages, frequency, and rated currents.

 People using a specific charging station should also have access to instructions for its use and information about potential threats.

In addition, the telephone number of the station operator must be in a visible place – thanks to this, the user of the charger will be able to report all related irregularities and defects. It is worth noting that in the event of any objections as to the technical condition of the station, you should not use a specific device.

2. Special software at the fast charging station

Publicly accessible charging points must be equipped with specialized software. Thanks to it, owners of electric/hybrid vehicles can easily connect and load their cars. Additionally, each charging point should have a metering and billing system – this device is responsible for measuring the electricity consumed.

3. Fire protection

Each charging station must have adequate protection in the event of a fire. These include the main switch, residual current device, and residual current device. It is also worth adding that the location of the station must be considered and thoroughly checked in terms of safety – such a device must not be in a potentially explosive zone, otherwise, it is forbidden to use it.

4. Protection against damage

The charging station should be protected against potential damage – according to the regulation, it can be done in two ways. The first is to provide a safe place to install the device – it should be located to reduce the risk of collision with a vehicle. The second is the use of posts, barriers, or bumpers to protect the station.

5. Access for disabled people

Following the applicable regulations, disabled people cannot have difficulties accessing the public charging point – this should be taken into account when choosing the location of the device and planning its possible security measures.

6. Extension cords

When charging an electric car, no extension cords or adapters can be used.

7. Service and repair of the station

It is worth being aware that any repairs and technical tests of the charging station may carry out by authorized persons. Technical tests must come in the following situations:

• before the device is put into use,
• if the device has been serviced,
• Moreover, if the device was modernized,
• if the installation location of the device has been changed.

Concrete works must be performed by the provisions of the station operating manual and be properly documented.

What are the advantages of EVs?

Are you wondering why you should buy an electric car? Here are the biggest advantages of this type of car:

• high travel comfort,
• quiet engine operation,
• environmentally friendly – they do not pollute the air to the same extent as internal combustion vehicles (no emission of harmful exhaust gases),
• relatively low charging costs,
• Greater safety in the event of an accident.

3. What range do electric cars have?

The range of an electric vehicle varies depending on its model. Currently, both cars on the market allow you to travel 150 km on a single charge, and those with ranges of up to 350 km or more. Of course, other factors also affect the vehicle’s range while it is in use. We can include among them:

• prevailing weather conditions (e.g. high temperatures),
• type of surface,
• driver’s driving technique,
• air conditioning or heating in the car is turned on