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Charging Station Site Selection and Design

Site Selection Criteria

Successful EV charging station placement depends on traffic patterns, dwell time, available electrical capacity, and zoning. Highway corridor stations need DCFC (150-350 kW) because drivers want fast charging during 20-minute stops. Retail and dining locations work well because 30-60 minute dwell times align with DCFC charging sessions. Workplace and apartment buildings need Level 2 (7-19 kW) because vehicles park for 4-8 hours. The most overlooked factor is existing electrical service—installing a 1 MW DCFC station requires utility-scale electrical infrastructure that can cost $500,000-2,000,000 in utility make-ready work before a single charger is installed.

Charging Station Site Selection and Design

Site Selection Criteria

Successful EV charging station placement depends on traffic patterns, dwell time, available electrical capacity, and zoning. Highway corridor stations need DCFC (150-350 kW) because drivers want fast charging during 20-minute stops. Retail and dining locations work well because 30-60 minute dwell times align with DCFC charging sessions. Workplace and apartment buildings need Level 2 (7-19 kW) because vehicles park for 4-8 hours. The most overlooked factor is existing electrical service—installing a 1 MW DCFC station requires utility-scale electrical infrastructure that can cost $500,000-2,000,000 in utility make-ready work before a single charger is installed.