Convincing Employers to install EVSEs or atleast 240V outlets!

[gg_got_a_tesla]

All, has anyone had prior experience and success with convincing your employers to install EV charging equipment or atleast provide 240V outlets in parking structures and such?!

I'm not getting too far with my employer on this front; several teammates - who own LEAFs and Volts already (no Tesla Roadsters here surprisingly!) - have tried and failed as well. We are way behind many other Silicon Valley firms that actively promote EVs by providing EVSEs onsite. But, I want do something about it as I get close to owning my Model S!

So, if any of you have input on this front (and probably any material a la Wido's 3-phase charging campaign), it'd be much appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

All, has anyone had prior experience and success with convincing your employers to install EV charging equipment or atleast provide 240V outlets in parking structures and such?!

If you have several Leaf and Volt owners then club together and offer to pay for the installation... if you choose low cost hardware and ask around for a local electrician to help then you'll keep the costs low and with luck tip the balance... the easier you make this for your employer the better...

 

[Eberhard]

on my office, if have at least 5 cee 32A 3-phase sockets, same number with 16A 3-phase and a few CEE 63A. A HPC with 70A would be no problem, but no need. (only 56km one way, charge in 1,5h) and over night at home.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

If you have several Leaf and Volt owners then club together and offer to pay for the installation... if you choose low cost hardware and ask around for a local electrician to help then you'll keep the costs low and with luck tip the balance... the easier you make this for your employer the better...

The issue is not the money at all; even if we offered to pay for the installation, my employer (who's otherwise a good commute enabler with public-transit-link-shuttles, bike-friendly facilities etc.) would not allow such a thing to happen. The initiative has to come from their (Facilities) end and go through some sort of approval process - I'm hoping to nudge them in the right direction with the right form of signature campaign / documentation etc. and looking for ideas there...

 

[VolkerP]

one idea is to have reserved parking slots that are rented to employees. At my location, such reservations are possible for all vehicle types for a monthly fee of ~$60.
- EVSE equipped slots are for EV drivers. No hogging.
- if questions arise that providing an EVSE& electricity is a benefit not available to ICE drivers, you can answer "they pay for that service."

 

[vfx]

I've noted in another recent similar thread, think bottom up. Find the facilities guy (or girl) and chat them up. Ask where they would put it. Give them a ride (Roadster preferred) then go to their boss, Send some emails during this conversion so you get it writing that they can do it. Essentially you want the info that shows the boss it's easy and there is support from the people who he will have to ask to do the work.

 

[Doug_G]

I doubt our current landlord would approve it. We couldn't even get them to install a bicycle rack that is required by city bylaws. (Fortunately the employees who wanted it weren't annoyed enough to report them to the city bylaw department... that might have soured things.)

Fortunately we'll be moving in the fall and our new location will be very EV-friendly. By design. :wink:

 

[Lloyd]

I am still waiting for a good 70 amp EVSE with an acceptable POS option!

 

[dsm363]

I am still waiting for a good 70 amp EVSE with an acceptable POS option!

ClipperCreek makes one. I've never used their point-of-sale option thought so can't say how easy it is to use.

 

[Lloyd]

Yep I looked at it and dont like the point of sale solution They will have other options for POS available later this year. I am still waiting.

 

[neroden]

I doubt our current landlord would approve it. We couldn't even get them to install a bicycle rack that is required by city bylaws. (Fortunately the employees who wanted it weren't annoyed enough to report them to the city bylaw department... that might have soured things.)

Fortunately we'll be moving in the fall and our new location will be very EV-friendly. By design. :wink:

The time to report them to city bylaws is shortly before moving. :wink:

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

After doing the following:

1) Helped flesh out an EV interest mailing list by broadcasting across several commuter-related mailing lists within my company and soliciting responses regarding interest in EVs and EVSEs at work
2) Gathered feedback from many current and would-be EV owners and submitted a request for EVSE installation to the Real Estate / Facilities coordinator
3) The coordinator then broadcast a formal survey regarding interest in EVSEs, their location within our company campuses and whether folks will be interested in paying 'at the pump'.

The survey is out there now through this week. Based on the responses, the Facilities coordinator has promised to get a formal proposal in front of the appropriate VPs to take this to the next level. Fingers crossed!