Hotels Face Pressure to Meet EV Demand

Electric vehicle usage is surging across the U.S., pushing hotels to offer EV charging as a standard amenity. In California, for example, the CALGreen building code mandates that 40 percent of hotel parking spots be EV-Ready with at minimum electric outlets and 10 percent equipped with actual charging stations.

At the same time, new startups are emerging to challenge traditional charging models. Evolve Energy, a young San Jose-based company, is developing smart EV outlets designed to be simpler, cheaper, and easier for hotels to deploy.

Significant service reliability problems continue to affect the current EV charging landscape. A Harvard Business School study found that about 20 percent of public chargers are non-functional, giving an average reliability score of just 78 percent. One in five drivers report being unable to charge at public stations due to equipment failures or network issues.

Many hotel chains, including Marriott and its franchisees, rely on ChargePoint stations to meet demand. While ChargePoint is widely recognized as an industry standard, its stations can involve high installation costs and frequent service requirements. New companies like Evolve Energy aim to provide a cost-effective alternative that addresses these pain points.

What Are Smart EV Outlets

A smart EV outlet is essentially a standard 240-volt receptacle (e.g., NEMA 14-50) that enables guests to plug in their portable Level 2 chargers. Since most EV drivers travel with these chargers, outlets often suffice for a full overnight charge, making them an ideal solution for hotels.

Compared to traditional charging stations, smart outlets offer:

• Significantly lower installation and maintenance costs
• No requirement for guest apps or account setups
• Universal compatibility across different EV brands

Smart EV outlets simplify the guest experience without compromising service quality.

ROI Advantage for Hotel Properties

Smart EV outlets offer substantial financial advantages over traditional chargers. Installation and maintenance costs are significantly lower, generating immediate savings and improved long-term ROI.

Upfront Cost (20 spaces):

• Traditional Chargers: $90,000 ($4,500 per space)
• Smart Outlets: $45,500 ($2,275 per space) — over 50% savings

Five-Year Total Costs (hardware, software, maintenance):

• Traditional Chargers: ~$299,000
• Smart Outlets: ~$75,500 — approximately 75% savings

Ten-Year Total Costs:

• Traditional Chargers: ~$509,000
• Smart Outlets: ~$105,500 — approximately 80% savings

Annual operating costs further highlight the financial advantage, averaging about $2,100 per space for traditional chargers compared to approximately $300 per space for smart outlets.

Incremental Revenue from Increased Occupancy: Adding 20 EV charging spots to a typical hotel (100 rooms, $120 average daily rate, 60% baseline occupancy) is expected to gradually boost occupancy by roughly 5% over five years. At full impact, this equates to approximately $131,400 annually in additional room revenue, substantially accelerating ROI.

Revenue from Electricity Resale: Certified smart outlets enable direct electricity resale, providing an additional revenue stream. For example, if hotels purchase electricity at an average rate of $0.25 per kWh and resell at $0.50 per kWh, each EV space could generate notable supplemental income, further enhancing profitability.

Compounding Benefits: Smart EV outlets not only offer immediate infrastructure savings but also open significant revenue opportunities from higher occupancy and electricity resale. Evolve Energy provides a free online ROI calculator, allowing hotel operators to explore these cumulative benefits based on their unique operational data.

Ultimately, smart EV outlets deliver quicker payback, reduced operational expenses, and greater long-term returns for hotels.

In addition to these financial benefits, smart EV outlets significantly enhance guest convenience and streamline operations for hotel staff.

Guest Convenience and Operational Ease 

Smart EV outlets leverage the convenience of portable chargers, allowing guests to plug in overnight without additional apps or accounts, greatly simplifying the charging experience.

For hotel staff, the outlets simplify management. There are no cables to manage or complex equipment to monitor. Integration with hospitality property management systems (PMS) streamlines guest billing and usage tracking. Additionally, innovations such as Evolve Energy's patent-pending room-key access technology offer guests secure and straightforward access using their existing hotel room keys, further reducing operational complexity. Automated reporting provides usage insights without significant staff effort.

Code Compliance Without Excess Cost

A simple installation of a 50-amp circuit paired with a 240-volt outlet typically meets EV-ready building codes, including California’s CALGreen requirements. Additionally, advanced load management can further reduce strain on a hotel’s electrical infrastructure. This approach provides a practical way for hotels to meet current regulatory demands while delaying significant infrastructure expansions until demand justifies it.

Resale Compliance via Certification

Hotels interested in billing guests directly for electricity consumption must comply with revenue-grade metering standards ( CTEP or NTEP). Currently, standalone EV outlets lack this certification, restricting billing options. However, companies such as Evolve Energy are actively developing compliant solutions, enabling plug-and-play revenue-grade billing.

A Practical Path for Hospitality

High-cost charging platforms like ChargePoint offer immediate, established solutions, but smart EV outlets represent a strategic alternative. Outlets align closely with guest expectations, comply easily with building codes, and substantially reduce costs.

Given ongoing reliability issues with traditional charging stations, smart EV outlets present hotels with a simpler and more reliable solution. As EV adoption grows, smart EV outlets emerges as a scalable, future-ready investment, avoiding unnecessary upfront expenditures while effectively addressing both guest demands and regulatory requirements.

Evolve Energy Inc. is a California-based company reimagining EV charging for the real world. Our universal smart outlets offer a simpler, more cost-effective solution for hotels, multifamily properties, and commercial spaces. Designed from first principles and inspired by modern architecture, our system replaces bulky chargers with clean, durable 240-volt outlets that blend seamlessly into any environment. Most EV drivers carry their own chargers, so we enable guests to plug in overnight without apps, accounts, or hassle. Behind the scenes, our platform manages access control, billing, load balancing, and reporting. It operates through a combination of cloud services and a self-healing local Wi-Fi mesh when offline. Over-the-air updates ensure the system continues to improve over time. Everything is built to integrate with hospitality systems and scale effortlessly across properties. Evolve Energy delivers smarter infrastructure, stronger financial returns, and a more reliable charging experience for everyone. 

Evolve Energy. Charging Simplified.