Green Travel News: Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Hotels

Green Lodging News has posted an online article titled "EV Charging Stations Popping Up to Meet Needs of Green Travelers." Very soon, when you plan your timeshare vacation and your car rental, you'll be able to go Green by using an Electric Vehicle (EV).

EV charging stations are beginning to show up across the United States as an increasing number of auto makers release electric vehicles to the public. The U.S. Department of Energy projects that one million EVs will be on the road by 2015. According to Pike Research, by that same year, access to vehicle charging will be available at nearly one million charge points in the United States, including many resorts such as Wyndham.

According to Green Lodging News, accommodating this new breed of Green traveler presents some new challenges for resort companies. How many stations should be installed? Where? At what cost? Should they be a new source of revenue or a complimentary guest amenity?

There are many EV charging station vendors from which to choose already. Companies such as Coulomb Technologies, ParkPod, and Green Garage Associates are a few that were mentioned in press releases sent to Green Lodging News.

Cost for the resort will vary depending on the EV station model purchased and the location of the property. In addition to the actual station, there are installation costs. According to Lawrence Hindle, director of engineering for Ritz-Carlton, an electrical permit is required to install a charging station, and the cost can be between $10,000 and $15,000.

Late last year the Hertz Corp. and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced a joint partnership to bring in Hertz Global EV, a program developed by Hertz using 100 percent electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, to key Starwood hotels and resorts in North America.

“Hertz’s partnership with Starwood is a natural step in the development of our Global EV program,” said Mark P. Frissora, Hertz chairman and CEO, in a press release. “As we expand our EV network, we are providing drivers with point-to-point access to EVs and EV charging stations. Our relationship with Starwood provides guests from all over the world with access to the future of mobility.”

Charging stations can also be a highly visible symbol of a property’s environmental commitment. Green Garage Associates’ Martin says his company’s Juice Bar stations, which are eight feet tall and two feet wide, can even be used as miniature billboards - a branding opportunity for a lodging establishment.

Read this article in its entirety here.

(Photo credit - ev-chargeamerica.com)
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