EV CHARGING: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE FOR RETAIL CHAINS

“We think that in the future, our customers will expect EV charging as much as water coming from the tap,” 

—Mikko Henriksson, General Manager, Scandic Hotels Turku, Finland.

EV charging is like tap water: your customers expect it wherever they go

Throughout recent years, we’ve seen innovative ways malls and other shopping centres can adapt to meet the changing customer appetite. 

From lifestyle centres to modern refreshing takes on legacy shopping centres, retail development of the 21st century has a whole different set of offerings compared to its predecessors. 

Today, going shopping is often an experience where convenience and entertainment meet.

Today, convenience means EV chargers.

Consider this. In 2022, we partnered with Kantar to perform a study to understand where EV drivers expect to find the most EV chargers. We found that a staggering 87% of drivers (current and prospective EV owners) say that the presence of EV chargers has an impact on the retail store they go to. Only 5% said it didn’t matter.

Turn visitors into loyal and returning customers

Retail professionals know that a shopping experience is so much more than just checking items off a list. Your customers’ experience begins in the parking lot. Or, more accurately, it often begins with a Google search—and soon, we can expect prospective visitors to look for EV charging amenities the way they look for store hours or store types.

By offering EV charging stations in the parking lot of your retail development, you work on your reputation and develop your customers’ loyalty. While we know that EV chargers will soon be an expectation, now is the time to impress your customers who aren’t accustomed to seeing EV chargers on every errand they run.

Furthermore, you can also cater to your EV driver customers by including EV charging in your store’s loyalty programmes. Rewarding your customers for plugging in and charging their EV can deepen customer relations. It’s no secret, that growing customer loyalty is at the core of any business and EV charging is here to help you with that.

A stronger employer brand as a positive externality

This positive impression is not only reserved for customers. By investing in the environment, retailers will also attract more talent, especially among younger generations, who are looking for socially responsible employers. In that sense, the presence of EV chargers is a great catalyst for retail brands to strengthen their overall sustainability strategy.

A new usage emerges: charge while you shop

Data says it all. 80% of the fuel purchased in the US occurs at local convenience stores.

In other words, drivers refill their tanks on their way to or from the store. We expect the very same behaviour from EV drivers. In fact, their experience should even be better as they will be able to charge their vehicles while they shop, thus avoiding an extra stop, or unnecessary queuing.

With current technologies allowing for a full charge in 30 minutes or less, you can expect EV drivers to spend more time than ICE drivers at your locations and, therefore, a larger average basket size.

For petrol station managers, there is also a retail opportunity. While we’re likely to see a decline in the number of petrol stations as we know it with the growth of the EV market, we will still need public charging amenities. It takes longer to charge an EV than it does to fill an ICE car with gasoline. By offering entertainment and shopping options to those waiting for their car to charge, petrol stations can take advantage of an already emerging market.

Attract new customers with EV roaming

Much like mobile phone roaming kicks in when you leave your home coverage area, EV charging roaming has the same premise—it refers to customers charging outside of their usual service provider. This is a common occurrence not only when travelling but sometimes when charging at a different outlet within the same city. 

The implementation of EV roaming is essential for a reliable customer experience. 

By including roaming options in your retail EV charger setup, you are opening up charging options for any out-of-town or country guests—a big pull to your establishment.

Reduce the effects of your business on climate change

Retail buildings, like all buildings, are responsible for a surprising amount of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

As the United Nations warns us that it’s “now or never” to limit the effects of climate change, many retail managements are looking for ways to do their part without negatively affecting their margins or losing ground to the competition.

With this in mind, EV charging offers a great opportunity to support your customer base in their eco-friendly decision-making. 

Reduce your carbon footprint

The installation of EV chargers helps establish your brand as a sustainability leader and cements your dedication to decarbonisation; the process of drastically reducing carbon dioxide emissions from human activities.

Right now, putting sustainability at the forefront and actively taking part in environmentally conscious actions can still become leverage for your business. However, in a few years, it will not be a competitive advantage anymore. Consumers will demand environmental responsibility from all businesses they buy from.

Growing tensions in the energy market require smart energy management solutions

Energy management is what everyone is looking at — and the current geopolitical developments in eastern Europe only make things worse as energy production prices are spiking.

We can see examples of this in Germany, where the government forbids retail business owners from keeping their doors open during the day to save energy, and in many other places across Europewhere shops are reducing the amount of time they spend keeping lights on.

By investing in EV chargers, you’re already a step ahead in developing your company’s energy management policy—something that all businesses will likely be expected to have in coming years. It’s better for the environment and better for your bottom line, as smart energy management also results in reducing costs for your business.

Sold on the idea of EV chargers but unsure of how to get started? That’s our job.

How to install EV chargers?

Installing EV chargers is a complicated process, like any other electrical installation. Partnering with Virta means you don’t have to worry about the complex EV charger installation process. 

We handle it for you. Then, we provide you with all the software and support you need to run and scale up your own EV charging business like a pro.

What does it (really) mean to run an EV charging business? 

In other words, what are the key roles and responsibilities you should know about?

The three main roles you’ll encounter in the EV charging world are: 

• e-Mobility Service Providers (EMSP)

• Charge Point Operators (CPOs)

• … and Charge Point Owners (sometimes also called CPOs, but we tend to exclusively use CPO for “charge point operator”).

An EMSP is responsible for offering EV charging services to EV drivers. A CPO operates said charging services. A charge point owner simply owns the charging infrastructure. Sometimes, a CPO and Charge Point Owner will be one and the same (but not always).

A brand empowering asset

The implications of smart charging on businesses are all-encompassing. Because it’s a cloud-based technology, smart charging can easily be customised (or branded) and offered under a brand that customers already know and trust.

This means that instead of companies having to spend millions on developing their EV charging infrastructure (or paying a lot upfront for another company’s chargers), they can partner with us to get stations out to their customers in a matter of weeks.

Virta Charging Business as a Service 

Virta offers retail businesses the opportunity to be an EMSP and/or CPO. Depending on what you which to build, Virta will supply you with all of the materials and expertise that you need to succeed, including hardware and software. 

This end-to-end service allows you to deploy a functional EV charging service in a matter of weeks.

Additionally, working with Virta means you only have to sign one contract, thus eliminating the complications involving multiple partners with different agendas as well as the prospects for hidden costs.

Or course, there are many factors to consider when choosing an EV charging partner, such as the features they offer, their installation protocol and security, and whether it’s not a good overall fit. At Virta, we are dedicated to offering the best EV charging solutions for retailers across Europe.

You can just set your charging prices, sit back, and enjoy sustainable growth, new revenue streams, and happy customers. As the demand grows, you can easily scale your EV charging business, so you can meet your customers’ needs for years to come.