Sustainable mobility is also conquering the tourism sector. Increasingly more hotels, B&Bs and agritourisms are gearing up to offer their guests the option of electric car charging. The installation of charging columns in hotels can, however, be something of a problem, especially for small accommodation facilities and the costs associated with the increase in the meter load. Fortunately, there are various strategies for getting the most out of the charging station, while ensuring an efficient service for customers. Let’s talk about electric columns, smart wallboxes, night-time charging and government incentives.

The large hotel chains have been moving for some time to expand their offer, making it more appealing to the new needs of travellers with electric vehicles. For example, in 2024, Hilton Hotels announced the installation of almost 20,000 surface-mounted Tesla universal connectors in 2,000 hotels across the USA, Canada and Mexico. While in Italy, as far back as 2021, Free2move eSolutions and the BWH Hotel Group signed an agreement to install EV rapid charging systems in 180 of the Group’s hotels (Best Western, WorldHotels and Sure Hotel Collection) present in 120 Italian localities. Even if they may not have the investment resources of the large hotel chains, small accommodation facilities can keep abreast, showing their commitment to sustainability and attracting a clientele that is more sensitive to environmental issues.

Apart from the public incentives, which we will talk about later, there are various strategies available for installing an electric charging column in hotels. The first recommendation is to invest in smart charging columns, which allow charging to be managed in an optimised way, evening out the energy consumption of the facility. These modulate the charging power based on the consumption of other devices, avoiding overloads and the necessity of a higher meter load. For all the latest in the sector, don’t forget to put the Sustainable Transport Europe 2024 fair on your calendar, scheduled for 3 and 4 September in Amsterdam.

Encourage night-time charging when consumption is at its lowest, yet another effective strategy that accommodation facilities can adopt. In this way cars can be charged without the risk of overloads and without a higher meter load. Among other things, this solution not only reduces the risk of problems with network stability but can also allow accommodation facilities to make the best use of advantageous night-time electricity rates, contributing to a reduction in overall running costs. In addition, if for reasons of space you opt for the installation of garage wallboxes, you can create a safe and controlled environment during night-time hours. The fact that vehicles are parked and under surveillance during the charge time offers additional peace of mind both for guests and the facility.

In Italy, the Regulatory Authority for Energy Networks and Environment (Autorità di Regolazione per Energia Reti e Ambiente [ARERA]) and the Energy Services Manager (Gestore Servizi Energetici [GSE]) have launched an interesting experiment to understand the importance of night-time recharging for optimal grid utilisation. The measure, that up until now has only been open to private individuals and in places not accessible to the public, from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2025 will allow private households to increase metered power to 6kW for the charging of electric vehicles at night time, Sundays and public holidays, at no extra cost and without contacting their supplier. To date, therefore, for Italian hotels, agritourisms and B&Bs, the most viable solution today is to sign up to contracts with operators who offer more advantageous night-time rates. Leaving this aside, however, it is worth remembering that there are still plenty of government incentives for installation.

A final but nonetheless important strategy for businesses is the option to apply for the government incentives for installing a charging column. In Italy, the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Sicurezza Energetica [MASE]), via the Ministerial decree of 25 August 2021, supports the purchase and installation of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles by businesses and professionals. While the first edition of the bonus ended on 30 November 2023, the second edition started on 15 March 2024. The latter makes a total of EUR 87.5 million available, divided into several categories:

• 70 million is earmarked for the purchase and installation of charging infrastructure with a total value of less than EUR 375,000 by companies.
•  8.75 million is reserved for the purchase and installation of charging infrastructure with a total value equal to, or less than EUR 375,000 by businesses.
• A further 8.75 million is destined to the purchase and installation of charging infrastructure by professionals.

Finally, one last piece of advice regards optimisation of resources. To install a charging station in a hotel, it may be helpful to collaborate with other local companies, to provide shared charging stations or to promote special deals that include discounts on charging and detailed information on charging points in the surrounding area. Without forgetting, however, to communicate effectively to guests about the ways of using the charging infrastructure. Informative posters, brochures or information on the hotel website will avoid misunderstandings and guarantee a positive experience.