EV charging stations

gas stations are pretty different underground from EV charging stations. Instead of a few wired, gas stations have big underground tanks. This leads economically-efficient gas station design towards compactness and closeness to the little convenience store. EV charging stations, on the other hand, allow some more flexibility in design, allowing station designers more leeway to prioritize aesthetics (even if only a little).

A long time ago, gas stations were a lot like EV charging stations today, and from my experience he’s right to call them utilitarian, machine-focused enterprises. Older defunct gas stations in my hometown tended to just have a few pumps in the open air next to an ugly cinderblock building, but even with the lowest prices in town, these stations still failed. The other human considerations simply weren’t considered as they should have, and companies that did it right thrived.

EV charging is going to be pretty different, so the typology is still being established. Big signs with electricity prices are probably not needed, because the car’s navigation or an app helps you find the station and its prices. Driving around and hoping for a charge on a road trip is a surefire way to get stranded in 2023. There’s also no need for an attendant, as payment usually happens with an app or via an automatic deduction from your debit or credit card.

So, there are definitely opportunities for experimentation and even creativity at this point in the EV adoption process. The video shows some creative ways people have played on the basic theme to see if they can improve upon it. It’s even possible to make them look good and contribute to the overall look of the area.

16A Portable Electric Vehicle Charger Type2 With Schuko Plug