Bringing EV Charging to Retail: How It Changes Store Appeal and Space Management

In the electric mobility sector, charging habits fall primarily into three categories: home/work charging, on-the-go charging (along major highways for long-distance travel), and destination charging.

The retail context fits perfectly into this last category. The principle of Destination Charging is straightforward: the charging service is integrated into an already planned primary activity. Users do not go to the supermarket solely to charge their cars, but instead take advantage of their stop to charge their vehicles while they shop.

This dynamic creates a direct synergy between the infrastructure and the retail location:

• For EV drivers: time optimization. Charging isn't an interruption to the day, but rather a seamless, background activity.
• For the retailer: attracting a customer who is highly motivated to choose that specific store and to spend more time there.

2. Match the charging power to the “Dwell Time”

The most common methodological error in designing a retail charging infrastructure is ignoring the relationship between hardware power and dwell time (the average amount of time a customer spends inside the store).

Installing ultra-high-power charging stations (HPC — High Power Charging, over 150 kW) in a location where customers spend an average of three hours is technically and economically inefficient. If the car finishes charging in 15 minutes, the driver is forced to interrupt their activities to move the vehicle and avoid parking fines. Conversely, installing slow-charging stations at a fast-food restaurant where the average stop lasts 20 minutes does not provide enough energy to justify the investment.

Infrastructures are primarily divided into two technological categories:

• Alternating Current (AC): Charging is done using the vehicle's onboard charger. This technology is ideal for medium- to long-term stops.
• Direct Current (DC): The energy is converted externally and fed directly into the car's battery, enabling much faster charging times.

The following table illustrates the correct system sizing based on the type of commercial facility:

3. Tangible Impact on Attractiveness and Business

The installation of electric charging stations is not merely a cosmetic change or a superficial sustainability measure; rather, it directly impacts specific retail performance metrics.

• Increase in average receipt value: An electric vehicle driver tends to time their parking duration based on their desired charge level (often set at 80%). The additional time spent inside the shopping mall statistically translates into unplanned purchases and an increase in the average receipt value.
• Acquiring high-value customers: EV drivers generally fall into the upper-middle-income bracket. This type of customer tends to develop strong loyalty to businesses that provide a reliable, efficient, and user-friendly charging infrastructure.
• Real Estate Value Enhancement and Regulatory Compliance: The European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and national regulations impose increasing requirements for the electrification of non-residential parking facilities. Proactively adapting the facility increases the value of the commercial property and avoids complex, last-minute retrofit projects.

4. Practical example: the impact on a supermarket

To understand how this works in practice, let’s analyze a hypothetical scenario using illustrative data based on a medium-sized supermarket that installs a 50-kW “DC ” charging station with two outlets (capable of charging two vehicles at the same time).

• Initial condition: A customer pulls into the parking lot with 20% battery life remaining.
• Procedure: Connect the vehicle, start the session using the app or an RFID card, and enter the store.
• Duration of the stop: 50 minutes.
• Energy Output: The station delivers a total of approximately 40 kWh of energy.
• Final result: The car regains over 250 km of actual range. The customer finishes their weekly shopping, extends their parking time by about 15 minutes compared to their historical average to reach the preset charging threshold, and spends a little extra at the facility’s food and beverage outlets.

In this case, the supermarket parking lot has replaced the traditional charging station in the user's daily routine.

5. Operational Implications for Property Managers and Retailers

The installation of charging stations requires careful technical planning to avoid operational issues or negative impacts on site operations.

• Grid Connection and Power Management: High-power infrastructure requires a high level of electrical power availability. The Property Manager must therefore verify whether the existing transformer substation (Medium/Low Voltage) has sufficient capacity or whether it is necessary to request a new POD (Point of Delivery) dedicated to charging.
• Preventing unauthorized parking: Parking in charging bays by internal-combustion vehicles or electric cars that have finished charging reduces the availability of the service. It is therefore important to provide clear road markings and signage and, where the service allows, to implement idle fees—that is, charges applied per minute after charging is complete. Generally, when the infrastructure is managed by a technical partner or a CPO, it is the CPO who activates and configures this feature.
• Choice of Management Model (CPO vs. Ownership): Since the retailer is not an energy provider, entrusting the infrastructure to a CPO (Charge Point Operator) can reduce the operational and management burden. In this model, the CPO generally covers the initial investment and the operating and maintenance costs, ensuring the retailer has access to the service. Depending on the agreement signed, the model may also provide for a zero-cost investment for the retailer and the payment of a royalty based on the number of charging sessions provided.

6. Conclusion

Bringing charging to retail settings isn’t just about offering a simple courtesy; it’s about positioning the facility along new mobility routes. Properly calibrating the infrastructure’s capacity to match customers’ dwell time allows for investment optimization, transforming the time spent at the location into economic value for both the retail outlet and the consumer.

Enhance your retail space with Powy

If you manage a commercial property, a supermarket, or a facility open to the public, Powy we’ll support you as a CPO (Charge Point Operator) in the design, installation, and management of your charging infrastructure.

We analyze the traffic patterns and characteristics of your parking facility to identify the most suitable mix of technologies: AC and DC. Depending on the partnership, Powy can handle the investment and management of the infrastructure, even at no cost to the partner.

Charging stations are also being integrated into the major networks and apps used daily by electric vehicle drivers, increasing the service’s visibility and the store’s appeal: Discover Powy ’s solutions for Retail and Real Estate.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About EV Charging in Retail

Who pays for the installation and maintenance of the charging stations in a store's parking lot?

It depends on the contractual model chosen. Options range from the sale of the infrastructure—with the retailer bearing the investment costs—to models in which the CPO covers both the investment and operating costs. There are also intermediate arrangements, in which costs and revenues are shared between the parties based on the agreements signed. Different levels of involvement can also be defined for management and maintenance, depending on the model chosen.

How can I prevent customers with regular cars from parking in the charging spots?

Clear horizontal and vertical signage helps identify charging-reserved parking spaces. Furthermore, when charging stations are publicly accessible and managed by a CPO, with charging made available through major MSPs and their apps, management systems may impose idle fees: charges that apply after a certain period following the completion of charging, incentivizing the user to vacate the space. In the case of customized management, however, different solutions and rules may be adopted, depending on the facility’s needs.

What happens if the customer runs out of credit before finishing their purchases?

If the infrastructure— AC or DC —has been properly sized based on the store’s dwell time, in most cases the charging process is completed while the customer is still there. However, as mentioned, management platforms may apply so-called “idle fees”: a per-minute charge that kicks in after charging is complete, when the vehicle continues to occupy the charging station, encouraging the user to vacate it so it can be made available to other customers.

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