Why Small Hotels and B&Bs Should Explore EV Charging Solutions
Large multinational hotel chains have not hesitated to install electric-vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, recognizing that it will attract guests to their venue while reducing their own overall carbon footprint and showcasing their brand as sustainable and forward-thinking.
However, bed-and-breakfast venues (B&Bs), roadside hotels and smaller motels, including those in rural areas, can also reap in returns from investing in EV charging stations for hotels. Smaller towns on major highways and interstates attract travelers to stop for food, gas and maybe a few tourist attractions. But EV charging stations are different from gas stations, because they don’t depend on a stand-alone business to provide energy. Any local business can install charging stations to attract customers. This represents a tremendous opportunity not just for restaurants and retail centers but for hotels in rural areas.
Attract Travelers as Pandemic Restrictions Lift
Hotel demand rose 13.7% in mid-April, and continues to surge as people book summer vacations. In a highly competitive marketplace, hotels large and small are making adjustments to stand out. Smaller hotels, which may not be able to compete with larger chains boasting pricey, newly redesigned rooms that give off an air of sanitized cleanliness, can look for other ways to show they’ve made positive changes during the pandemic.
EV Chargers Lead to Longer Stays
One thing smaller hotels and even B&Bs can do is provide electric chargers to their guests as a free amenity. The Historic Smithton Inn in Pennsylvania Dutch Country took advantage of a Small Business Administration disaster loan during the pandemic to provide a combination of high-tech and homey amenities, including two EV chargers for guests to use. Owner Rebecca Gallagher notes that the combination of changes brought in a younger and trendier clientele, who was more willing to spend money. The on-site wine bar and EV chargers also encouraged guests to stay longer than they previously did, resulting in a direct increase in revenue.
Generate Revenue for Your Business
As the U.S. strives to achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse-gas pollution by 2030, it’s clear that EVs will play a role in making this happen. But range anxiety — the fear that an EV battery will die on the road with no charging stations nearby — remains an obstacle to adoption. The fear is especially real for long-distance travelers through rural areas.
Many two-car households opt to use their gas-powered vehicle for long-distance trips, reserving their EV for the daily commute or trips to areas where they know they will be in range of a charger. If travelers from bigger cities knew they could find charging capabilities on the road as easily as at home, it would help encourage widespread EV adoption as well as greater use for existing EV owners (and your business could generate revenue from these travelers).
Attract Locals with EV Chargers
Rural America makes up about 25% of the population, yet 94% of rural drivers still use vehicles with internal combustion engines. By installing even just a handful of EV chargers at your hotel or B&B, you’ll give community members a place to charge up even if they have a charger at home.
If your hotel has a bar or restaurant, you can drive additional revenue from locals who stop in for a bite to eat while their car charges. And if your hotel sits within walking distance of other local businesses, your chargers will help encourage shopping, bringing added tax revenue into your town and supporting small businesses in your community. Chances are, if shop owners aren’t already referring out-of-town visitors to your hotel, they will once they realize how you are increasing foot traffic in their stores. You’ll soon see the return on your investment of EV charging stations for your hotel.
Offset Installation Costs of Your Chargers With Incentives
If you’re afraid of the up-front investment in EV chargers for your hotel, look into the incentives that may be available in your area. In addition to federal tax credits, states and municipalities are offering rebates and tax incentives. Some of the programs, especially those launched in California, are specifically targeted to drive EV adoption in rural or underserved areas.
Plus, you can increase the return on your investment by charging visitors who aren’t guests at your hotel for their use. Most EV owners factor charging costs into their travel budget, understanding that, like gas, power for their vehicle is not free. You can either charge guests to use the amenity or offer it for free while charging other traveling tourists or residents in the area to help cover the costs. Offering free charging to guests is a smart amenity, and you can more than cover those costs — and turn a profit — by charging others.
Ask EV Connect About EV Charging-Station Solutions for Your Hotel
Smaller hotels and B&Bs may not need a whole bank of chargers to serve their guests. A handful of brand-agnostic charging stations that can serve any EV driver in the area may suffice to attract eco-conscious, affluent guests to your location. But it may be in your best interest to install more now to accommodate for future demand to take full advantage of tax incentives.
The EV Connect network offers simple yet comprehensive EV charging management for EV charging networks of any size. We can guide you through applying for incentives, get you set up with the right EV charging infrastructure and help you begin realizing the return on your investment in EV charging stations for your hotel right away. Reach out now to learn more.
Dawn Allcot is a full-time freelance writer and content marketing specialist who has written about sustainability and solar for 20-plus years. She frequently covers Tesla and Elon Musk for GoBankingRates and Geek Travel Guide.