Why install electric vehicle charging stations in your B&B?
Would you like to take action on all fronts to make your B&B more environmentally friendly? Sustainable mobility is one of the key areas of development that can not only help you achieve this goal, but also build customer loyalty and enhance the value of your accommodation.
Electric vehicles have been gaining ground for several years now. It is estimated that by 2030, more thanof new vehicles will be plug-in hybrids or 100% electric.. This acceleration will be marked by the the end of sales of combustion-powered vehicles in 2035on a European scale.
As establishments open to the public, gîtes have every interest in equipping themselves to offer the best possible service to their customers. The provision of charging stations is one of those sustainable projects that directly generate added value for users. This is all the more true since accommodation managers can derive numerous benefits.
Choosing to reduce the environmental impact of your tourist accommodation can generate numerous short-term and long-term benefits.
Attract customers who are increasingly concerned about the environment
The Harris Interactive polling institute has conducted a study on sustainable tourism for Voyages SNCF and the Routard website.. The results are convincing: "90% of French people generally declare that they are attentive to respecting the environment and the lives of local populations when they travel, demonstrating the appeal of the principles that guide responsible tourism".
This study shows that ecological concerns are part and parcel of accommodation selection criteria. In fact, they are likely to influence the purchasing decisions of some travellers and, by the same token, become a selling point. B&Bs are a particularly good example of this eco-responsible approach. To stand out from standardized hotel chains, you've certainly built your offer around sustainable values.
Situated in the heart of the terroir, close to nature, gîtes offer the promise of authentic holidays, with a focus on local consumption. In this sense, they are above all sought after by tourists eager to "get back to basics". Promoting respect for the environment is therefore perfectly in tune with your target market.
Improve the visibility and referencing of your establishment with labels
French and international travelers are also more likely to pay attention to the labels awarded to establishments that integrate eco-tourism issues. Among the most common are :
- the Green Key,
- l'European Ecolabel,
- the Ecogîte label,
- the label Act for Responsible Tourism (ATR) LABEL.
Possession of one or more "green labels" demonstrates that you have implemented a number of actions to optimize your consideration of the environment: reasonable and reasoned energy consumption, use of organic or natural products, eco-friendly furniture and bedding accessories, reduction and reuse of waste or promotion of local producers. At the same time, there's another way to confirm your commitment to the environment: byinstalling charging stations for electric vehicles.
Optimize the attractiveness of your facility
The installation of charging stations in the parking lot of your accommodation meets a growing demand from your visitors.
For proof of this, just take a look at the platforms that list gîtes and chambres d'hôtes, such as Gîtes de France. The latter offers a search by criteria to help users more easily find an establishment with one or more charging points.
Logically, electric car drivers who take their vehicles to their vacation destination will prefer establishments with charging stations. Many have neither the time nor the inclination to search for a nearby station during their stay. In the case of self-catering cottages in rural areas with a poor supply of electricity, the question of recharging may even become a real concern for holidaymakers, and ultimately influence their decision to buy a car, influence their purchasing decision.
Making charging stations available to the public can also enhance the brand image of your establishment by demonstrating that you have translated your ecological commitment into concrete action. In other words, this approach will also have a beneficial impact on tourists who visit your B&B without their car, but who are sensitive to environmental issues.
Worried about a disproportionate investment? That would be forgetting the democratization of electric vehicles. Today, the installation of a recharging infrastructure meets the needs of only some of your customers. But tomorrow, it will undoubtedly concern the majority of them. !
Increase your visibility
As a B&B manager, you certainly know that it's essential to work on your visibility to stand out from the competition, especially in busy tourist areas. But advertising is a very expensive business.
Did you know that the simple fact of owning a charging station can raise the profile at no extra cost?
In fact, locations equipped with charging stations can be referenced on applications dedicated to electric vehicle drivers. Among the most popular are Charge Map or Plugshare. The EVHotels application specializes in listing hotels equipped with charging points for electric vehicles. Booking.com, the leading accommodation booking platform, also includes the availability of charging points in the search criteria of its geolocation tool.
Increase revenue by monetizing refills
Offering paid recharging to customers and/or visitors is a good way of generating additional income and making your equipment profitable.
Recharging allows you to recoup the investment you've made in acquiring one or more charging stations. In reality, there are several business models to choose from, depending on the positioning of your business and your objectives:
- The segmentation by user If you want to make the presence of charging stations in your B&B a selling point, it may be a good idea to offer this service to your guests and charge it to other users. In this way, only visitors who simply wish to recharge their vehicle without booking a room in your establishment will be charged.
- The personalized billing (for your customers) Personalized invoicing: This invoicing model, more suited to small structures such as B&Bs, involves making an RFID badge available to customers who wish to recharge their electric vehicle. Each badge is associated with a customer or a room number, providing secure access to your B&B's charging station. All that's left to do is to bill the recharging service in the bill at the end of the stay.
- The time-based or kWh-based billing for all users: each billing model has its advantages. With kWh billing, the driver only pays for the energy actually consumed. However, there is no real incentive for them to leave the charging station immediately. When charging by time, the turnover rate is higher, enabling you to generate more sales. But this billing method is less equitable, since drivers of slow-charging electric vehicles are penalized.
Good to know: There's nothing to stop you from changing your billing model. Initially, you can open your kiosks free of charge to increase visibility, then opt for targeted or generalized rebilling.
Between welcoming your customers, maintaining your gîte and the administrative tasks involved in your business, you're worried that you won't have the time to deal with the issues surrounding refill management and invoicing?
Beev offers you a turnkey billing tool to manage your charge points remotely, from an online platform. Discover the how the supervision service works and its benefits.
Which electric recharging point should I choose for my gîte?
It is essential to sizing your equipment project to offer value-added service to its customers. And this step is based on an analysis of their expectations. Most travelers want to be able to use their vehicle quickly, so that they can indulge in tourist activities (sightseeing, gastronomic discoveries, etc.). Others only need a recharge for the return journey. In all cases, reducing their waiting time is one of your objectives as a hotelier.
In this context, you need to find the best compromise between user comfort and investment costs. It also depends on the accommodation capacity of your B&B. If you only offer a few rooms, a single charging station with one or two charging points will be more than sufficient.
In terms of power, an 11 or 22 kW IRVE will cover your customers' needs perfectly.
For example, an 11 kW terminal gives an average range of 54 km after one hour's charging (for an electric vehicle with an average consumption of 21 kWh/km). This range increases to 108 km for a 22 kW terminal (for the same charging time).
How much will it cost to install a charging station in your B&B?
While powerful charging stations for ultra-fast charging are quite expensive (especially those powered by direct current), price differences between 7.4 kW, 11 kW and 22 kW stations are minimal (between €600 and €900). There are, however, price disparities depending on brand and functionality. An RFID-connected bollard is generally more expensive than a non-connected one, but offers greater flexibility in terms of access management and billing.
On the other hand, the cost of installation can also have an impact on the overall cost of the project. Certain technical criteria, such as the need to bring the electrical installation up to standard, or the distance between the charging point and the electrical panel, may require civil engineering work.
To get a better idea of the cost of installing a charging station in your B&B :
- request an appointment with one of our advisors who will help you estimate your project or
- download our free guide to installing charging stations in hotels.
Hotels and B&Bs: subsidies for installing IRVE terminals
The Advenir program offers a bonus for the installation of charging stations open to the public in private parking lots. This subsidy applies to hotel establishments, such as gîtes and chambres d'hôtes. In 2023, the Advenir subsidy is renewed and amounts to 30% of the installation cost (excluding VAT), up to a maximum of €1,000 (AC-powered bollards) and €2,700 (DC-powered bollards).
Discover your financial aid with our simulator!
Need to find out about financial assistance for your recharging solution? Use our project simulator to find out how you can reduce the cost of purchasing and installing charging stations.
There are also grants available from local and regional authorities. For example, the Grand Est region has set up a subsidy dedicated to tourism professionals who make their recharging infrastructure available to their customers. The grant amounts to 50% of the cost of the project (acquisition and installation), capped at €1,000 per charging point.
Are you convinced by the benefits of installing a charging station in your B&B? Tell us about your project detailing your requirements using our form. An expert will contact you within the hour!
