[Festival] EV charging: A host’s experience from regional Victoria

[Geoff7]

I’m Geoff, a host based in regional Victoria, Australia, where there aren’t many public electric vehicle (EV) chargers. I wanted to find a way to stand out from other listings in my area and give guests a clear reason to book with me. With more travelers now driving electric vehicles, I saw an opportunity to offer something useful, different, and in demand. 

I installed an EV charger in my listing, which allows guests to pull up, plug in, and tap their debit or credit card to start charging. The convenience and ease of use for guests has been a real win. They can plug in their car, unpack, and relax. There’s no need to drive back into town and wait around at a public charger.

To set it up, I did need to make a few electrical upgrades, but it was a fairly simple job with a local electrician. I positioned the charger near the driveway so guests can plug in easily. They just need to bring their own cable.

And there’s another bonus: We buy our power from a locally owned sustainable energy company, so when guests charge their car here, they’re not only reducing emissions but also supporting our local community.

Since installing it, I’ve already had guests tell me that EV charging was the reason they chose to stay with me. I know I’m not only helping future-proof my business, but also supporting local tourism by attracting travelers to our region.

Demand for EV charging is rising, and guests are actively seeking places to stay that support electric vehicles. Offering EV charging can help reduce transport emissions, support your local community, and give your listing a competitive edge. With a range of affordable options now available, would you consider offering EV charging at your place? 

You can also read more details about EV charging through @Felicity11 's post "⚡ EV Charging at Your Airbnb: What Guests Want & What Hosts Need to Know"

[Note :This article is requested by Airbnb Community Center team to celebrate the Festival of Sustainability] 

[Frances3408]

@Geoff7 . Hi Geoff, thats great.Hepburn Springs is on my retirement travels wish list when I get to it!

I'm planning a build at moment. Can I ask what brand(s) you went with for your set up, especially the payment swipe arrangement?

None of my current listings the owners want to upgrade the wiring to the extent required but the new place will have three phase power to handle the all electric home with solar panels, battery and yes hopefully an EV charging station. 

[Felicity11]

Hi @Frances3408 

Great to see your comments on the post.

We have an option here in Australia called Alchemy charge that allows us to use a simple 3 pin power point into a smart power point that guests can use to charge there car and pay us for the power we use.  There is no fancy wiring involved as we can just use a simple regular power point that you would plug use to plug in a hair dryer or fridge to but we swap off the regular cover for a new outdoor one with the smart tech wired in behind it.  So simple and easy and no power upgrade needed if you have a power point close to your parking spot. 

[Frances3408]

@Felicity11 . Thanks for the company info. 

But it wasnt about needing fancy wiring: it was about adding to the existing power load with a set up thats over 60 years old. There is only so much power you can push through on a hot Summer day (including running rc ac as well as fridge and oven) on single phase power then try adding an EV charger without risking the set up and its the owners call and electrician's advice, which I respect. 

[Felicity11]

HI @Frances3408 

Yes you are right adding a simple 3 pin plug to a home will add to the existing power load and some of our homes may not be able to handle this extra load.  

As many homes move to electrify and get off gas and other power sources,  many homes will need to consider upgrading the electrical system in our homes.   It is a question of when homeowners will start to do this and what constraints will there be from local power networks that may hinder these upgrades.  

In Australia, we have the highest rooftop penetration of rooftop solar, with 1 in 3 homes having solar.  This is good, except that much of the solar energy produced during the day is not being utilised in the home as it is generated.  The excess solar energy is being put back into our power grid and our power grid is becoming unstable.    We have a new national program here where the government wants more homes to install batteries to help soak up this excess power and help stabalise the grid. Batteries have been very expensive and for many people the cost has been prohibitive but now with rebates from the government it is becoming an option for many home owners to now add a battery to their homes.  With the savings on power it will help home owners to cover the costs on instaliation and potential upgrades.  We are very lucky here in Australia to have this program and I believe there are many countries watching this roll out and the impact it has on our communties and will it work for them?

[Guy991]

Thanks @Geoff7 , that makes a lot of sense and is really helpful.

Could you please explain a bit more about the installation and billing? Who paid for the charger and did the company you bought it from also handle the installation, or did you arrange everything separately with an electrician?

When guests tap their card at the charger, does the payment go directly to the charging company, the electricity company, or to you?

Who pays the electricity bill at the end and do the guests’ payments automatically cover that cost?

Do you receive a separate electricity bill for the charger?

I am trying to understand clearly how the whole process works from both the installation and the billing side.

[Bhumika]

Great questions @Guy991 👏 I am also tagging @Felicity11 to this conversation in case she has insights too, based on her previous posts related to EV charging 👀

[Felicity11]

HI @Guy991 

Thanks for reading the post and for considering adding EV charging for guests like me to use.

The level 1 option is from an Australian Company called Alchemy Charge.  All you need is a standard 3 pin power point or to add one in to your property in a spot that is easy for a parked car to reach. 

The homeowner buys the smart power outlet outright.  The home owner then organises and pays an electrician to remove the cover from the power point and add the Alchemy charge smart point that has the clever tech added to it.  When your guest arrives, they can plug in their car, scan the QR code, and put in their payment details and power will flow to charge the car. 

When the guest finishes charging the car they are then charged for the power they used by the EV charging compnay.  At the end of the month a statement is then sent to the owner with the funds they are owed.  The owner of the property pays the power bill as they would pay any regular power bill. There is no seperate power bill for the EV charger - Does that anwer your questisons? 

@Geoff7