22 May 2024
Words
John Miller Informer
Plug and Play
ChargeBoss brings EV charging to accommodation businesses
Destination electric vehicle (EV) charging is becoming increasingly important in the accommodation space. Rising demand is driving hotels, motels and resorts to consider installing EV charging for guests.
“Destination EV charging is fast becoming a pivotal point of difference in the choice of accommodation for the growing number of EV drivers, which tripled in 2023,” says Emma Allen founder and director of ChargeBoss.
“We’re going to get to a point in the next 10 years where EVs make up 50 to 80 per cent of new car sales.”
“From an accommodation perspective, EV drivers will use EV charging station maps like PlugShare which enables us to see exactly where chargers are and how to map our trip.”
“Say a hotel has EV charging and another doesn’t. As an EV driver, my preference would be the hotel with EV charging. It can literally put you on the map.”
Allen launched ChargeBoss in May 2023 to provide accommodation businesses, clubs and entertainment venues with fully automated 24/7 EV charging stations. ChargeBoss stations require no handling by hotel/motel staff. There are no apps, subscriptions or calls. Guests interact directly with the charger. They simply scan, pay and plug their car into the charger.
“Guests can then sit by the pool, have lunch or leave it overnight,” says Allen.
ChargeBoss’ system generates direct revenue for the hotel, allowing operators to set their own charge rates (for example, 29 cents per kilowatt) and run tailored marketing campaigns.
“A hotel can offer free charging if, say, a guest spends $50 at the bar,” says Allen. “Or, they could have a free charging weekend for dads on Father’s Day.”
Based in St Leonard’s, Sydney, ChargeBoss has a growing list of accommodation clients from smaller boutique hotels to the over 50-rooms range in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, with plans to expand into other states. The business has just been designated as preferred EV charging provider by a large hotel chain, to provide a consistent solution across its operators nationwide.
Chargers range from Level 2 AC medium-to-long dwell time chargers to Level 3 DC fast chargers. The fastest DC chargers can fully juice EVs in as little as 15 minutes.
Allen says implementation costs will vary depending on the age of hotel and how much wiring is needed. Charging units can cost as little as $2,000 to $2,500 and are OCPP (open charge point protocol) compliant, making it eligible for various grants. Installation varies from $3,000 to $30,000 or more depending on the requirements of the site.
Allen says she was inspired to start ChargeBoss to fill a gap in the hospitality market.
“If a hotel wanted to do it themselves it would be hard for them to research,” she says. “Who do I know who does this? What chargers are commercially viable? What software do I integrate with it? What ChargeBoss has done is build an eco-system that integrates the charger with the payment software and electrical infrastructure. It’s an all-in-one solution.” END
