With increasing numbers of Australian drivers turning to electric cars, you may want to consider adding an electric charging station in front of your office. In most cases, you will need to work with a commercial electrical contractor to set up the charging station. As you investigate the possibilities and get an estimate from the contractor, here are some questions to keep in mind:

How will you run power from your facility to the charging station?

If you plan to put a charging station in your business parking lot, the commercial electrician will need to determine how to run power from your building to the parking lot. This may require moving landscaping, cutting concrete or other maneuvers to safely run the electrical line into place.

Is a solar powered charging station feasible?

If there is no way to run an electrical line from your business to the charging station, you may want to consider a solar powered charging station. You will need a professional installer to set this up, but you should still talk with your electrician. If you plan to place the solar panels in a different spot than the charging station, the electrician may need to help you wire everything together. 

Can the electrician put in new circuits?

If you are taking the electrical route, you also need to talk with the commercial electrical contractor about putting new  circuits for the charging stations. While some electrical cars can charge on standard outlets using a special adapter, you don't want to just offer a regular outlet. Rather, you want to offer a dedicated charging station, as they are much faster than traditional outlets. However, they also use more power, and as a result, every station you install needs its own circuit.

Do you want to offer charging for free or at a charge?

If you don't mind if the general public uses your charging station, you may want to opt for a station that requires the user to pay. Alternatively, if you want to offer free charging as a perk for your employees, you may want the system to be free. In the latter case, you may want the electrician to install a master switch so you can turn off the charging station at night when no one is in the office so people who don't work at the company don't try to charge their car for free.

Figuring out what questions to ask when you are hiring a commercial electrical contractor can be difficult. However, the above questions are a great place to start. Contact a contractor to learn more.