Deploying EV Charging at Workplaces: Load, Access, and Billing Considerations

Why Workplace Charging Works Well

The long dwell time at offices is a natural fit for AC charging. A 7.4 kW charger delivers 50-60 km of range per hour. Over an 8-hour workday, that is 400+ km of range, far more than most people need. This means you can use lower-power, lower-cost chargers and still meet employee needs comfortably.

Workplace charging also shifts demand to daytime hours when solar generation peaks, aligning well with rooftop solar installations that many commercial buildings already have.

Sizing the Installation

Start with current EV adoption among employees and project forward. A good rule of thumb: plan infrastructure for 3-5x the current number of EV-driving employees, but install chargers in phases. Run conduit and cabling for future expansion now, because trenching and civil work are the most expensive parts.

• Survey employees to gauge current and near-term EV adoption
• Install cable trays and conduit for 3-5 year projected demand
• Deploy chargers in phases as demand grows
• Reserve electrical panel capacity for future charger additions

Billing and Access Control

Decide whether charging will be a free employee benefit, partially subsidized, or paid at cost. Free charging is simpler to administer but can get expensive as adoption grows. Paid charging requires RFID or app-based authentication and metered billing, all of which OCPP-compliant chargers handle natively.

Access control also prevents unauthorized use. RFID cards tied to employee IDs are the most common approach. App-based authentication works too but requires employees to download and set up an app.

Load Management for Commercial Buildings

Commercial buildings have higher electrical capacity than homes, but that capacity is shared with HVAC, lighting, elevators, and IT infrastructure. Dynamic load management ensures EV charging draws only what is available after other building loads are served.

RIOD's charging management system integrates with building management systems (BMS) to read real-time building load and adjust charger output dynamically. This prevents costly demand charge spikes and avoids the need for electrical infrastructure upgrades.