Stationary EV charging stations are the preferred way for many EV owners due to their convenience and efficiency. But these EV chargers aren’t as simple as plugging a charger into the wall, which must be properly installed into a power supply via a professional electrician or EV charging stations installation company that specializes in such a service.
For those who are looking to start an EV charging business or to become a charging facility installer, with many different EV charger installation companies out there, finding the one that’s right for you can be hard. Today, Electrly have rounded up some of the best charging station installation providers for you. Let's diving into the major commercial EV charging station contractors on the market, the estimated costs associated with the service, and what might be the right choice now!
Superior-Quality EV Charger Manufacturer
High-speed, reliable, safe EV chargers
OEM or white label options
Speedy order fulfillment
Comprehensive warranty and support
Electrly's Top Picks For EV Charger Installation Services
Electrify America
Electrify America is one of the largest EV charging network installation companies in the US that offer commercial and residential charging solutions for the public. The company currently installs more than 800 stations with over 3,500 fast-charging ports, and the numbers are still climbing. Their commercial chargers can deliver up to 350kW of DC fast charging, coming in either a CCS socket or a CHAdeMO socket.
As one of the most successful charging station installers in the US, Electrify America offers several business solutions for their potential partners, including public charging station hosting, public-access charging station ownership, and private-access charging station ownership. These charging station installation programs can cope with all-scale businesses and are ready for your dedicated business in no time.
Highlights:
- Zero Upfront Investments: When signing up for an Electrify America public charging station host, the planning, design, and installation of your charging station along with all the fees involved will be covered by Electrify America.
- Customizable: An Electrify America charging station is customizable in terms of scale, layout, design, and pricing to accommodate your own business goals.
- Federal Grants: Electrify America’s commercial charging solutions are available to the application for the NEVI program and various funding support, grants, and tax credits from the government.
ChargePoint
ChargePoint is mostly known for being the leading charging station installer throughout the United States, providing electric vehicle charging solutions for businesses and organizations of all sizes. The company has one of the largest Level 2 and DC fast charging facilities installed across the country and a helpful app that lets EV drivers find nearly every available charger out there.
For their business partners, ChargePoint offers a wide range of commercial charging installation programs, industry-leading management software, and easy-to-use options for generating revenue from public users. Working with their charger installation program can be an excellent idea to either empower your existing business or expand your business strategy.
Highlights:
- Smart Cloud Management Software: The all-in-one remote control software based on cloud management from ChargePoint can make charging station maintenance and management easier with higher efficiency.
- AC/DC Charging Facility: ChargePoint manufactures a lineup of networked AC and DC charging stations. These charging units are built using cutting-edge hardware technology to ensure safety and reliability while providing drivers with an intuitive and high-quality charging experience.
- Comprehensive Services: ChargePoint provides its business partners with comprehensive top-tier services, including flexible financing options, site planning, and professional assistance with installation.
Enel X Way
Enel X Way is a global leader in electric vehicle charging facility installation company with over 500,000 charging ports worldwide. As a subsidiary of Fortune 200 renewable energy leader, the Enel Group, Enel X Way is committed to providing smart mobility solutions for drivers, businesses, and partners to make driving electric.
Enel X Way's commercial EV chargers are UL, cUL, and Energy Star certified and provide high charging speeds ranging from 7.2 kW to 350 kW options compatible with all electric vehicles. The easy-to-use mobile app can help users to complete all the charging tasks with a few taps on their smartphone.
The commercial charging unit installation program from Enel X Way also qualifies for Federal charging incentives, allowing their potential partners to start their charging business with a low amount of pressure. Enel X Way's business charging model can provide unbeatable value to your business and help you to reach your sustainability goals with ease.
Qmerit
Unlike the previous companies listed, Qmerit offers residential and commercial EV charging facility installation services rather than selling physical charging stations. If you’re looking for a trustworthy company for installing your EV charging station, then Qmerit may be the perfect option.
Qmerit is currently the official partner of both Electrify America and Enelxway, the two leading charging service providers in the US, so you know that they’re a business that you can rely on.
With that said, many customers have reported having less than stellar customer service when working directly with Qmerit, as well as their installation price quotes being quite a bit higher than the average EV charging station installation prices.
Pros:
- Provides well-known and high-quality installation services
Cons:
- Very expensive costs for installation
- Poor customer service
Electric City Corp
Like Qmerit, Electric City Corp is another option for those seeking commercial EV charging facility installation services. They’re the most preferred electric vehicle charger installer in Minnesota and have the partnerships and expertise to make it happen. The company is known for providing excellent installation services for its clients at reasonable prices.
Pros:
- Reasonable prices
- Professional services with a high reputation
Cons:
- Only provides EV installation services in Minnesota
Coil
Coil is another great option for commercial EV charging facility installation services, offering its services on a nationwide level. Unlike other providers, Coil specializes in installing Level 3 charging stations, which are much faster but also significantly more expensive.
With that said, Coil also provides Level 2 charging station installation as well. Since they are capable of dealing with both Level 2 charging and Level 3 charging installation, Coil offers a wider range of services than most of its competitors, and at a very high-quality level.
Pros:
- Nation-wide Services
- Offers professional Level 3 fast charging installation
Cons:
- Installation costs can get quite expensive
ABM
ABM is one of the biggest names in the commercial EV charging station installation services business, with the company providing installation services to massive companies and venues including LAX airport, GM dealerships, and much more.
The company is one of the largest EV charging station installation service providers in the whole nation, and with such a strong resume of past projects, they seem like a no-brainer choice. If you’re looking for large-scale EV charging station installation services for your business and aren’t sure which business is best for the job, then ABM may be right for you.
Pros:
- Highly trusted brand
- Massive nationwide network
Cons:
- Pricey
EV Charging Station Installation Estimates
When installing an EV charging station, it’s important to fully understand all of the costs associated with it. Obviously, there are several factors that may affect the overall cost including the charging level, voltage, charging power, and of course, the labor cost for the installation itself. Here are the estimated costs of installing EV charging stations:
Level 1
As any EV owner may well know, Level 1 charging is the slowest option available (most vehicles will take about 48 hours to charge). This makes Level 1 chargers pretty much only viable for at-home use for those who only drive on occasion – daily drivers may need a faster charger.
Installing a Level 1 charging station unit will cost just under $3,000, as the labor and parts are still costly. Because of this, it might make more sense to simply opt for Level 2 charging for general business purposes.
Level 2
Level 2 charging is substantially faster at charging EVs than Level 1, as they utilize 240v hookups and can charge an EV in just 4 to 8 hours. But because of this, Level 2 charging stations are also quite a bit more expensive, with the average price of installation going as high as $6,000.
These are seen by most to be the most efficient and economically viable EV charging stations for both residential and commercial uses. Level 2 charging is the most common EV charging solution in areas such as apartment complexes, entertainment venues, and public parking lots.
Level 3
Also referred to as DC fast charging, Level 3 charging stations can charge EVs in less than one hour. Level 3 EV charging stations are far more expensive to install than other charging stations, with the average cost being around $50,000. This is because of the high voltage necessary for Level 3 charging stations to function, and the fact that the equipment costs are significantly higher.
Level 3 charging stations are typically found at car dealerships, but few other places. Level 3 chargers are rarely found within residential homes because of both their high installation costs and high voltage.
Commercial EV Charger Installation Cost Factors
There are many factors that impact the overall cost of installing a commercial EV charger. Here’s a breakdown of the potential cost factors of building a commercial EV charger.
- Hardware (Infrastructure) - First and foremost, in order to install an EV charger, you’ll have to deal with all of the infrastructure costs. This includes the electric infrastructure to power the EV charging stations, the wire conduits and connectors, signs, pouring concrete, parking lot restriping, and anything else related to the physical hardware. For Level 2 EV chargers, this cost ranges from anywhere between $200 to $1,500 per unit – or a whopping $40,000 if you’re installing DC fast chargers.
- Software - Additionally, commercial EV charging stations require network management systems for hardware protection, energy usage monitoring, and operational data analysis. It usually costs over a thousand dollars for commercial annual subscriptions.
- Power Management System - A power management system allows operators to properly monitor and manage the energy consumption of EV charging stations. While they cost $4,000 to $5,000 to install, they’re actually quite beneficial as they can help your charging station reduce power loss, increase energy efficiency, and reduce operational costs in the long term.
- Soft costs - Finally, there are many other miscellaneous costs that you will need to deal with, which include things such as ongoing property management, maintenance and repairs over time, and an operation permit. These are costs that should be expected and are just a part of running any sort of business. They amount to roughly 5% of your total EV station costs.
Why Install EV Charging Stations For Your Business?
So with all said and done, you might be asking yourself: why should I install an EV charging station at my business? Well, there are plenty of great reasons why. Here are the four biggest ones:
- Reach Sustainability Goal - EVs are proven to be better for the environment, and by building charging stations for them, you’re helping the US move towards becoming more EV-friendly.
- Attract New EV Owners to Your Business - Installing an EV charging station adds your business to the EV maps, which means that EV owners will be aware of your business – this will only increase the odds of your business getting noticed!
- Additional Revenue - Public charging stations can work as a considerable source of revenue for your business with relatively low upfront expenses, and will benefit your business in the long run.
- Tax Rebates & Federal Subsidies - Business owners can also receive a 30% tax credit of up to $30,000 along with other federal subsidies for installing an EV charging station thanks to the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit.
