Why Install Electric Charging Stations in Office and Shopping Center Parking Lots

Parking lots at shopping centers and office buildings are no longer just places to leave your car. They have becomea strategic opportunity: forward-thinking operators are equipping them withcharging stations for electric vehicles, which has a positive impact onfoot traffic, customer loyalty, and brand image.

In a market where the number of electric vehicle owners in Italy is growing every year, equipping your parking lot with Charging Stations now aconcrete competitive advantage, not just a statement of sustainability.

Why the parking lot is the perfect place to recharge

Parking lots at shopping centers or office buildings are ideal for electric vehicle charging:parking is already planned and lasts long enough. Shoppers typically stay for 45–90 minutes. Office workers leave their cars for 7–8 hours.

In either case, there’s plenty of time to recharge significantly—or completely—without adding any extra breaks to your day. Recharging happens naturally, as part of something you’re already doing.

This makes it very different from charging on the highway, where stops are infrequent and often a source of anxiety. At destination parking lots, however, the vehicle is stationary anyway; the charging station thus becomes an additional service with high perceived value.

The benefits for shopping centers

For a shopping center, installing Charging Stations , first and foremost, attracting a rapidly growing segment of customers. Electric vehicle drivers tend to choose—and return to— shopping centers equipped with charging stations, preferring them over those that lack them. In this context, charging stations are no longer an optional extra but a key factor in consumers’ decisions.

Then there is the issue ofdwell time: people who charge their vehicles tend to stay longer in the retail space to make the most of their visit, which has a positive impact on average spending. Some facilities have seen ameasurable increase in average spendingamong electric vehicle customers compared to others.

Finally, charging can generatedirect revenue for the operator: thanks to models like Powy, the shopping center receives a percentage of the revenue from each charging session, turning a service into anadditional source of income.

Benefits for offices and businesses

In a business setting, charging in parking lots offerstwo key benefits. The first is practical: electric vehicle drivers can charge their cars during work hours and find them fully charged at the end of the day. This eliminates the need to plan external stops,reduces logistical stress, and boosts perceived productivity.

The second iscorporate welfare. Offering employees the option to top up their accounts is a highly valued benefit, with relatively low costs compared to other options and a tangible impacton employee satisfaction and retention. In an increasingly competitive job market, it is often the small details that make the difference when choosing an employer.

Companies that have already installed charging stations in their parking lots also report apositive impact on their ESG profile: the presence of charging infrastructure is one of the criteria considered insustainability ratingsand in the supplier selection processes of large clients.

How many charging stations are needed, and what type?

The answer depends on the size of the parking lot, the user profile, and the average length of stay. For a shopping center with parking durations of 1–2 hours, AC kW AC stationsstrike the ideal balance: they provide significant charging within a timeframe compatible with the parking duration, without requiring particularly complex electrical infrastructure. For facilities with high turnover and short parking durations,50–150 kW DC charging stationsoffer a more comprehensive service.

A general rule of thumb: it’s betterto start with a small number of well-placed charging stations and scale up over time, rather than oversizing the initial installation. TheDynamic Load Management (DLM)system allows you to manage more charging stations without increasing your contracted power capacity, making expansion easier and less expensive.

How to integrate charging with Powy: hassle-free, maximum efficiency

Powy customized solutions for shopping centers, large-scale retail chains, and corporate parking lots, withthree partnership modelsdesigned to accommodate different needs and availability.

WithCo-investment, the operator and Powy the initial investment according to contractually defined percentages: this ensures an equitable distribution of risks and benefits, with Powy installation and management and the partner receiving a share of the revenue.

Under thispartnership, Powy all hardware, installation, and startup costswithout requiring any initial investmentfrom the operator. Technical management, maintenance, and user support are entirely handled by Powy, while the partner receives a percentage of each session.

Withthis purchase, the operator acquires a turnkey infrastructure: Powy through the process from hardware selection to installation, and then provides24/7 operational management, advanced software, and the option to open to the public to maximize utilization and revenue.

Do you manage a shopping center, parking lot, or business and want to add electric vehicle charging stations?Powy and manages custom infrastructure solutions withno upfrontinvestment requiredfrom the partner. Contact us for a free site survey and discover the solution that best fits your facility.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Charging Electric Cars in Parking Lots

Do we need to increase the parking lot’s electrical capacity to support more charging stations?
Not necessarily. Thanks to the Dynamic Load Management (DLM) system, it is possible to manage multiple charging points by distributing the available power among connected vehicles. This allows you to expand the infrastructure without having to make changes to the electricity supply contract or undertake complex work, keeping costs down and simplifying installation.

​

About Powy

Powy a company that owns, develops, and manages Italy's leading independent network of public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

Founded in Turin, Italy in 2018, Powy is at the center of the transition to more sustainable mobility, offering an innovative charging infrastructure that uses only 100 percent renewable energy.

Powy 's network includes quick, fast, and ultra-fast charging solutions strategically placed in public and private parking lots, supermarkets, shopping malls, and transportation hubs to ensure maximum convenience and accessibility for EV drivers. Each station is equipped with advanced technologies to provide a reliable and efficient charging experience.

Learn more: wpowy.energy