Hospitality
Airbnb owners: what you need to know about EV Charging
As an Airbnb owner, you may have started seeing guests requesting for electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities. In fact, Airbnb have already started listing EV charging as a filter. This is because almost all EV drivers filter location by availability of chargepoints and would always prefer to visit destinations that provide that peace-of-mind to their journey.
Why do you need a dedicated chargepoint?
Because the battery in an EV is much larger than consumer electronics, as its only source of energy, an EV needs a smart chargepoint that charges its battery quickly and safely. Think of it as a petrol/diesel refuelling station.
The average range of an EV is about 300 miles and the refuelling habits of EV drivers have changed compared to petrol/diesel vehicle drivers. EV drivers are always looking to top-up their vehicle for fear of running out of a charge.
So, having one at your Airbnb would ensure your accommodation provides the best possible service and attract an exponentially growing number of guests.
How long does it take to charge an EV?
Unlike petrol or diesel vehicles, refuelling an EV takes much longer. While it depends on the EV's battery size, most drivers charge their EVs between 2-4 hours with a 7kW chargepoint, which would give them sufficient charge to commute for a few days or travel afar.
What chargepoint should I look for?
If you are thinking of installing one for your guests, you should look out for these key features:
- 7kW Fast charging (read here to find out why you do not need a faster one)
- Internet-enabled
- Untethered (socketed)
- Wall or stand mounted
- App-enabled
- Commercial/Payments-enabled
VoltShare's Solution
Unlike many suppliers out there, our solution has been founded on three principles: Reliable. Easy to set up. Personalised. Purchase and install our chargepoint and you will have all the tools necessary to manage your VoltShare chargepoint (but really there is no need to), generate an additional stream of revenue, and provide one of the industry's most reliable system as a service offering to your guests, with zero recurring fees.
Always Customised
One size does not fit all. With our custom-designed signages and 24/7 driver support, you can rest assured knowing that guests using EV charging at your (self-catering) Airbnb accommodation will be constantly looked after. Easier than logging into WiFi!
How much can I earn?
From our existing clients, we have seen an average of £20 to £40 income per charging session with an estimated profits of 50% of that. This means that if your chargepoint is used once every week, you can expect to earn £1000 to £2000 a year with £500 to £1000 in profits.
Effectively, you would have paid off the entire cost of a VoltShare chargepoint in less than a year! Our data also shows that Airbnbs generate an additional 10-20% increase in guest registration simply because they have a VoltShare chargepoint.
What about free charging for guests?
That is entirely up to you. However, you would be losing about £10 to £20 per session and lose about £500 to £1000 in a year. Not trivial!
How much does it cost?
You can purchase a chargepoint between £800 to £1000 (not including installation costs) but these are not commercial ready chargepoints and are simply plug-and-play. Meaning anyone can come and use your electricity without paying for it leading to losses in the hundreds.
VoltShare's chargepoints are market leading in cost because our revenue comes from the small fee we take per transaction. This allows us to provide the platform at zero cost, for life. Other products on the market do offer a payment-enabled platform but with subscription fees.
There are also available government grants (WCS Small Accommodation grant of £350) to subsidise the cost of purchase. If installation is not complex, you could be looking at fully subsidised installation!
Work with us
With boutique and luxury B&Bs as our partners, we provide holiday destination charging for you and your guests with an industry-leading solution. Here's what some of our partners have to say:
Beachborough Park
Thank you VoltShare for your foresight and selecting Beachborough Park to install one of your EV chargepoints. We have already seen the benefits through increased EV user guest bookings specifically because we have the chargepoint. Your continued customer care and support is greatly appreciated.
Rob Roy Guest House
VoltShare where extremely helpful and informative all away along the process of getting a charger and are always proactive at responding to any questions we have had along the way.
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