Sustainability is more than an eco-buzzword. While the EV charging infrastructure space is itself an environmentally sustainable field, every EV charging business can’t sustain itself without meticulous planning. Here are five ways to build a sustainable EV charging business that can help you stay on the leading edge of your market.
1. A Sustainable EV Charging Business Starts with the Right Site
In the business world, sustainability equals long-term success. If you want to get off to a successful start that keeps building well into the future, you need to choose a site that won’t be a flash in the pan. You’ll need a site that will do all the following:
- Address the needs of your target market now
- Provide room for growth and expansion during future years
- Adapt to new technologies as your current infrastructure becomes obsolete
If you’re new to the EV charging space or facing challenges getting your charging business off the ground, the trouble might be your site location itself. As S&P Global Mobility’s Tanja Linken points out, staking out your territory based on the number of EV registrations might not be an effective strategy unless you sell home charging equipment.
Use Traffic Flow, Not Car Registrations, to Determine Site Viability
While some EV owners have the means and space to install EV chargers in their garages or parking spaces, many do not. Those drivers must depend on public charging stations at their destinations — work, shopping, or recreation — or along the way.
Instead of counting registrations, look at the traffic flow — the usual patterns they drive. Whether locals charge at a local parking lot near their employer’s office, at their favorite store, or at a public charging station along their route to the destinations they usually travel to, those are the data you should look at.
If a prospective site is near a major highway, you should also examine data that tracks the number of tourists, business travelers, and commuters that travel along that route. Existing gas stations or restaurants along well-traveled highways can also use those data to determine if installing EV chargers would prove profitable.
Plan to Use Renewables to Back Up Your Power? Check Site Suitability First

Using solar or wind power to keep your commercial charging station going even during power outages requires a skilled team of engineers to determine whether your site has enough sunlight or wind to make your investment pay off. If those alternative power sources aren’t feasible, you might be able to use hydroelectric power or biofuels, depending on your location.
However, if the site is otherwise suitable, you might be able to use V2G charging or an on-site battery solution to serve as a backup to the local grid.
Partner with Local Utilities to Ensure Adequate Energy Supply
Since EV charging stations require great amounts of electrical energy, some utilities aren’t ready to support a massive number of new charging stations in their communities. That’s especially relevant for EV charging companies that want to install high-energy DC fast chargers in sparsely populated, rural areas.
Once you choose your site, you’ll also need to check with other utilities in the area before you break ground. Water, cable, telephone service, gas, and electricity providers often use underground pipes or wires to deliver services.
Detecting any obstacles you need to work around before you start building can save you a lot of money and time later. If you face a challenging situation, you can consult a company specializing in locating utilities and figuring out workarounds to help you overcome complex safety and other issues.
Consider a Charging-as-a-Service Solution if You Want a Hands-Off Operation
If your primary business is something other than fueling vehicles, you might want to consider hiring a charging-as-a-service (CaaS) company to locate, install, and maintain your charging stations. Restaurants, retail stores, theaters, municipal parking lots, and even gas stations without much knowledge or experience in EV charging might want to consider such a solution. This is so they can carry out their primary work without having to involve themselves in the site selection, installation, and maintenance processes.
2. Build with Safety and Serviceability Top of Mind
You’re installing EV charging stations to add value to your business, not to disrupt your operations. Make sure that even during this chaotic time, you provide your regular customers with a welcoming, safe space to do business.
Use Signage to Direct Customers Safely Around Construction Sites
As you go through the installation process, you need to provide your customers with continuous services, just as you have in the past. Find alternative paths around the construction with signage directing customers to your main facility.
Ensure Safety by Exceeding Code Requirements and Industry Standards
Safety isn’t only a concern during the installation process. See to it that your equipment and employee training exceed industry best practices. With all the misleading press coverage around EV fires and exaggerated hydrogen fuel cell hazards, make sure that your facility takes the utmost precautions to prevent such disasters.
Prep Additional Sites for Expansion
If you plan to expand your charging stations into other areas of the same property fairly soon, do as many preparations as possible during the initial installation. With EV ownership increasing nationwide, it’s a good bet that you’ll need them sooner rather than later. Prepping the spaces beforehand makes it more likely that you can get the new equipment up and running as quickly as possible.
Add Extra Amenities to the Mix

In addition, consider adding a few extra amenities to your facility, especially if you’re adding EV chargers to an existing gas or diesel fueling station. Since EV charging still takes longer than a gas fill-up, having a place for customers to relax and refresh themselves while their cars charge can create a welcoming atmosphere that will attract more customers.
Inform Prospective Customers with Targeted Marketing
Finally, don’t forget about marketing. “If you build it, they will come” is the stuff of fiction. Informing your target market about your new EV charging stations is essential to getting your EV charging business off to a successful start.
Don’t stop there. Showcase your expertise in the EV charging space with informative content that can help your customers make the most of their EV’s advantages, such as tips on conserving energy as they drive, safety precautions, and maintenance advice.
3. Take a Data-Driven Approach to Tweak Operational Efficiency
Once you open your charging stations for business, start collecting and analyzing the data from your chargers. The information you glean from this data can help you make better decisions, generate more revenue, utilize energy more efficiently, and plan for future expansions.
Using an analytics program geared specifically to meet the needs of the EV charging industry can help you and your team better interpret the data from your chargers. Key metrics you’ll need to zero in on include the following:
Utilization rate: Knowing how often EV drivers charge at your station gives you valuable insights into when you need to consider expanding your inventory of chargers to provide a more seamless customer experience. Waiting in line to charge can lead customers to choose another nearby station — and if they have a better experience there, they’ll likely stay.
Revenue: To make an informed decision about raising or lowering prices, you’ll need to measure your revenue against your expenses. If you have revenue from other sources besides your EV charging stations, such as a food court, your retail operation, or a hotel, look at changes in that revenue after you’ve added EV charging to your services. This revenue, too, can help you understand how EV charging affects your overall business.
Uptime and connectivity: Since you can’t operate when your chargers are offline or malfunctioning, you should look at your equipment and operating software’s performance data to inform future purchases or make a change in your maintenance provider.
4. Future-Proof Your EV Charging Infrastructure

Once you’ve found a suitable site and have begun operations, it’s time to choose what kind of EV charging infrastructure you need to keep you ahead of your competitors from the start. Research the most promising new EV charging technologies as you plan your purchase. If you can afford it, buy the latest technology you can afford.
Then, look at ways to scale and improve your operations. Keep an eye on future developments in the EV charging space to ensure you stay on the leading edge of EV charging technology. In such a fast-changing industry, it’s critical to take advantage of every advance in every area of your business.
Business consultants specializing in energy solutions can help you stay on top of your game. Whether it’s finding you better equipment, top-quality hires, or an efficient payment solution, it pays to have a team with experience in the sector on your side.
5. Attend Industry Events to Stay Aware of Current Developments
Hiring industry leaders to advise you on building a sustainable EV charging company is a critical driver of success. But there’s nothing like a whole gathering of experts to give you a depth of knowledge that can set you well ahead of your competitors now and in the future.
That’s exactly what you’ll have when you attend an EV Charging Summit event. The world’s finest experts on building successful EV businesses, EV technology innovators, government officials who can help you sift through confusing regulations, and more all gather there to help EV charging professionals make the most of their businesses and non-profit organizations. Don’t miss it. Register for your spot at the Summit today!