Being environmentally-friendly as well as forward-thinking is most certainly an admirable goal for any company, but to support these corporate philosophies while satisfying stakeholders and staying on budget requires a bit of a balancing act. The ability to adhere to both purpose-driven and financially-driven goals behind EV charging amenities can be tricky but can yield positive results in both areas. One commercial business destination in California is a great example.
Background
Bishop Ranch, a commercial destination that houses over 500 businesses employing nearly 30,000 workers in San Ramon, CA, was looking to install cost-effective electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on-site. With the EV market growing annually, and California’s initiative to phase out vehicles with internal combustion engines, it was certainly an opportune time to go all in for charging stations at its campus.
The company has a long history of green corporate philosophy; it has one of the largest concentrations of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings in the United States. In addition, its award-winning transit program, recycling initiative and green cleaning practices puts Bishop Ranch at the forefront of eco-friendly companies. It is also continually working to minimize its carbon footprint along with its other green initiatives.
The Opportunity
Installing EV charging stations at all of the office and retail buildings would have several benefits, (including environmental) as a perk to workers on-site and to customers who visit the retail businesses — as well as for corporate goodwill. Five hundred businesses (both office and retail space) within one square mile attracts a lot of drivers. The commercial destination is also near an interstate with an express lane for alternative fuel vehicles, another opportunity to capture commuters who need a charge.
The Challenge
With EV charging already in high demand, and growing constantly, it’s become an essential amenity. Not only did Bishop Ranch’s EV charging infrastructure need to serve existing employees and shoppers, future plans needed to include electric buses and other public transportation services.
However, select Bishop Ranch buildings were more than 30 years old, so properly installing the sheer number of charging stations required to serve 30,000 employees (nearly 200 charging stations) was an operational challenge from the start. Their building structures began construction in the 80s, and many of the buildings on campus didn’t have the electrical capacity required to support EV charging beyond level 1 charging stations.
The Solution
Bishop Ranch contacted EV Connect for its expertise in EV charging station management.
While level one charging stations were thought to be the best bet at first — due to the fact that they would put less strain on the commercial destination’s existing infrastructure — this was not the most efficient or scalable option. There was still a desire to provide more efficient, level two charging that would support their growing infrastructure needs.
A PG&E grant made it possible. According to Weeks, “When we went through the process of trying to find out what market rate was for the electricity, we realized that all we had to do is partner with PG&E and pass the cost of the electricity directly through the charger.”
Now, the charging points are connected directly to the local energy provider (Pacific Gas & Electric), rather than relying on existing infrastructure, which turned out to be the perfect solution. By proceeding this way, the tenants of Bishop Ranch can subsidize the cost of the electricity (or elect not to subsidize it) as a work perk for their employees.
To help clear the financial hurdle of the initial installation, the electricity provided for shoppers at Center Center Bishop Ranch is subsidized by Bank of the West, which has its branding on the EV charging stations. “Since the install costs and some of the actual infrastructure costs themselves were offset by MCE Clean Energy, and also the PG&E grant, really the amount we had to pay up front was negligible. Very, very little,” says Weeks.
So, although a fast ROI on charging stations was not part of the initial goal, Weeks estimates they will break even around the five-year mark, when they will then begin to see a profit and more downstream revenue.
So why did they partner EV Connect?
Ultimately, the charging solution needed to support everyday drivers, not just tech enthusiasts excited about EV advancements who obsess over data about maximizing their mileage. Everyday people are making the switch to EVs, so the software that powers the charging stations had to be intuitive and make a strong play to provide great customer service. Additionally, it was crucial that Bishop Ranch’s EV charging partner was flexible and able to provide scalable solutions as their EV infrastructure needs evolve in the future.
Ready to learn more about how EV Connect can help you with your EV charging needs? Check out what makes us different.
