Great desire for charging on vacation, parking garage and operation

06.12.2024

The network of public charging points cannot be dense enough: According to surveys, 70 percent of e-mobilists would like to see more charging points at filling stations and parking garages.

Demands are growing: anyone who drives an electric car also wants to be able to access charging facilities in a wide variety of places outside their own home. This is according to surveys that the energy company Eon has now presented.

The Essen-based company refers to figures from the commissioned institute Civey in its location survey, "Destination Charging". The institute surveyed 1,000 people with electric cars across Germany in August and September. The results show that 70 percent of respondents are in favor of conventional filling stations also having a charging station. In conurbations, where private charging is becoming a challenge, the figure is as high as 75 percent of respondents.

Around 70 percent also want to combine shopping or other errands with charging. Here, expectations are specifically directed towards appropriately equipped parking garages or parking lots. Eon has discovered a business area for itself here and, in cooperation with the parking facility operator Contipark, is putting 700 charging points into operation in 15 municipalities by the end of the year.

Charging while on vacation is also important for e-mobilists. A majority of 56 percent now choose their hotel based on whether it has charging points. Eon points out that only less than two percent of hotel parking lots currently offer charging facilities. Slow charging with 11 kW power is sufficient because the batteries are usually connected to the power supply overnight.

Employers are playing an increasingly important role as an electricity supplier for electric cars. Almost half of those surveyed now want to be able to charge at work. Here too, the desire is greater in metropolitan areas, where 63% expect it. As things stand, 43 percent of e-mobilists are able to charge their batteries at work - half of them do so free of charge or for a fee.

Companies can also score points as charging power providers in other ways, according to a second study conducted by Eon with the P3 Group in July and August. For example, by managing their infrastructure, which includes a reservation system for charging points that can double the utilization of the points. According to the survey, large companies are leading the way, while small and medium-sized companies are gradually building up a charging infrastructure. Those who make their charging points generally available can generate additional revenue.

Author: Volker Stephan, E&M powernews