The growing demand for alternative energy has increased the popularity of electric vehicles. Many countries are now conscious of their energy consumption and its impact on larger society, leading many people to prefer electric cars.
As you know, powering electric vehicles requires charging stations. In this article, we will cover electric charging kiosks, what they are, how they function, their advantages, and their major components. By the end of this guide to EV charging kiosks, every reader should be able to tell if they need an EV charging kiosk and the exact type needed.
Understanding EV Charging Kiosks
To properly understand EV charging kiosks, we need to look at what they are and how they work.
What is an EV Charging Station
An EV Charging kiosk is a technological booth used to charge vehicles that rely on electricity. These machines help charge electric vehicles without assistance, offering users convenience when charging their cars.
How Do EV Charging Stations Work?
EV charging kiosks are usually self-manned. They recharge electric vehicles via a simple process that can be done by anyone. Firstly, a user connects the charging cable to the electric car’s charging point. To ensure compatibility between the EV and the charging station, the machine and the car exchange information before authorization is granted.
After this authentication, the EV receives power at the right voltage to charge its battery. Most charging stations have an AC-to-DC converter. This converts the alternating current to the direct current, which the car’s battery needs.
EV charging stations also have safety features that detect overcharging and overheating. This helps to keep batteries in top shape. They also come with a Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). This machine detects ground faults in the electrical circuit and shuts off power before an electric shock occurs.
Once the battery is charged, the station shuts off power. Depending on the EV charging kiosks, customers might also be notified of the completion of the charging process.
Types of EV Charging Kiosks
As expected, EV charging kiosks fall into three types depending on their charging levels. These include:
Level 1 (Slow Charging)
These kinds of chargers are placed at homes and residential areas. They are typically AC-type chargers that offer 1 – 1.4 KW of energy. Also, level 1 chargers take as much as 30 – 40 hours to charge while adding 3-5 miles per hour in added range.
The benefit of these chargers is that they allow users to charge with more convenience as they can fit into daily routines. However, their long charging time means they are best suited to homes and residences.
Level 2 ( Medium – Fast charging)
Level 2 EV charging kiosks offer faster charging than their level 1 counterparts. They offer 12 – 80 miles in range per hour charged. Level 2 chargers also take 2.5 to 4.5 hours to charge, making them a better alternative for fast charging.
However, such chargers are located in public places like parks, recreational centers, and supermarkets. Type-2 chargers can power most electric vehicles. The same applies to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Level 3 (Superfast Charging)
Unlike the other types mentioned above, level 3 EV charging kiosks use direct current. This allows them to charge vehicles more rapidly than level 1 and 2 devices. Such chargers change AC into DC at the charging station before powering electric cars.
Level 3 charging vehicles offer 24 – 300 kW power delivery with an added range of 75 – 12000 miles. They can also charge vehicles within 30 – 40 minutes, thus offering high convenience to EV owners.
Benefits of EV Charging Kiosks
There are many benefits that come with using EV charging kiosks. These include:
Convenience for Users
The first benefit of such charging kiosks is that they offer ease and convenience to owners of electric vehicles. One factor that has affected the adoption of electric cars is the inconvenience of finding a charging station. Many places are yet to catch on to the wave of electric vehicles.
This makes it hard to find charging stations, thus causing inconvenience for the people who own such cars. Installing an EV charging kiosk, especially in residential areas, boosts convenience, thus increasing the adoption of electric vehicles.
Environmental Impact
It is no news that burning fossil fuels like petrol and diesel damages the environment. Many countries have already signed agreements to cut down on the consumption of fossil fuels. One option that will help countries reach this goal is adopting electric vehicles.
By offering EV charging kiosks, more people can use electric cars, which aids in reducing the global carbon footprint of the automobile industry. Even countries slowly transitioning to alternative energy can benefit from increased EV adoption.
Potential for Profitability
Electric vehicles will become more popular in the coming years, thus leading to increased demand for EV charging stations. Companies and businesses can now invest in alternative energy by offering EV charging kiosk services. EV charging costs will also grow as many countries have agreed to phase out gas vehicles to meet global climate change goals. This means that consumption of electric cars will jump over the next few years.
Key Features of Modern EV Charging Kiosks
Before you get an electric vehicle charging kiosk, there are key features you must consider. These features should guide your decision-making as they will guarantee the best service delivery:
Software Capabilities
The software capabilities of the kiosk charging stations you choose are very important as they affect your overall satisfaction. The most important software capabilities each EV charging station should possess include:
- Hardware monitoring: This feature helps to keep EV stations operational at all times. It does so by offering real-time monitoring of infrastructure applications, which include faults with physical chargers, ground fault detection, and network issues.
- User monitoring: This allows EV charging kiosk managers to monitor who gets access to their stations and how they use them. Some EV charging software allows managers to categorize users into smaller groups with variations of limited access. For instance, EV charging kiosk managers can sort users into residents, employees, and public users.
- Energy usage management: This feature helps manage load distribution based on current electricity prices, user level, and charger type. It should also contain software that detects and prevents power outages.
- Payment management: You might be wondering; what do EV charging stations charge? Well, that depends on multiple factors, including the current price of electricity and the factored-in costs of running a charging station. Ideally, such EV charging kiosks should support a range of payment options that cater to the public.
White Labeling
This feature helps businesses offer a branded experience. Companies can leverage this white-labeling feature to position their brand as eco-friendly. EV charging kiosk managers can also use white labeling to create a stronger brand identity in the minds of their users.
Maintenance and support services
EV charging kiosks should have maintenance and support services to help fix any issues that may arise. Such services will also ease operations for EV charging kiosk managers.
Applications of EV Charging Kiosks
EV charging kiosks are a great infrastructure support for EVs, giving their users easy and accessible hassle-free charging solutions. Some of such implementations include:
Public Charging Stations
They are usually found in parking lots and are used in shopping malls or city centers, allowing EV owners to recharge while going about their daily activities.
Commercial Properties
Businesses install them with the aim of attracting more customers by providing a place to charge while they shop, dine, or use services.
Workplaces
Employers install charging kiosks for use by employees, furthering sustainability and conveniently catering to workers who drive electric vehicles.
Residential Complexes
Multi-dwelling unit buildings and housing developments provide EV charging as an amenity for residents.
Highway Rest Stops
Kiosk installations at highway rest stops serve long-distance travelers by providing charging possibilities when stopping for breaks.
Fleet Charging
Businesses that make use of fleets of EVs like delivery services, public transport, use this method to monitor the charging status of their fleet vehicles.
Hotels
Charging kiosks add value to hospitality for hotel guests with electric vehicles.
Airports
For airports, this is within their parking facilities, such that long-term charging is possible for those flying out of town who would prefer to leave their vehicle at the airport.
Conclusion: Complete Guide to EV Charging Kiosk
Electric vehicles are becoming the latest trend as environmental consciousness is rising. EV charging kiosks have become more popular to help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. These booth-like machines help users charge their electric vehicles with convenience and ease.
The EV charging cost that users will have to pay depends on many factors. For businesses and individuals offering EV charging services, the guide above will serve as a help manual that will boost the optimization of their services.
If you need additional information, you can head to BestKiosk, a platform that will answer all your custom EV charging kiosk demands. You can reach out to us now to get a free quote.
