Talk to me about your recent partnership with Macdonald Hotels and Resorts. 
EVC have partnered with Macdonald Hotels to roll out our AC & DC chargers across their portfolio of hotels and resorts to provide a convenient way for guests to charge their vehicles. We carry out feasibility studies and free site surveys to understand the best route to getting a solution in place. With obtaining new points of connections or utilising spare capacity from existing power supplies on site, EVC are able to propose the most appropriate EV charging solution for each location.
Talk me through the partnership process- from initial consultation to full installation.
We initially made contact with just one of their hotels, Leeming House, which led to the company carrying out a tender process for the portfolio. EVC were invited to take part where we held many meetings, conversations & presentations showcasing our services, as well as understanding the groups requirements and visions for the future. This included detailed commercial offers and open discussions on what we feel would benefit each location.Through our site surveys and grid studies, we understood the power that is available for each location and maximised the sources we could to propose and install a suitable solution. Each site was reviewed separately with a bespoke approach, as each location will have different requirements in mind with a mixture of dwell times, number of bedrooms, number of parking spaces, local road traffic data and many other factors. It’s important to have that personal approach to each hotel.
EVC assisted the group in the legal process with our trusted internal teams and partners to ensure a smooth process throughout.
Once the agreements were in place, we arranged the installs in line with the network operators and hotel general managers, as the most important part is making sure there is minimal disruption during the install for the car park and hotel guests.
Every installation includes signage and information on how to use the chargers and who to call if you have any issues, meaning there is no pressure on hotel managers to deal with queries. All ongoing maintenance and management is taken care of by EVC to provide a seamless charging experience for users.
How are the EV chargers installed at Macdonald Hotels & Resorts elevating guest experiences?
Having chargers in the hotels allows guests to charge overnight as opposed to worrying about finding a charger during their journey the next day. They know they can arrive on site, plug their car in, and enjoy their stay, which may include a nice dinner, spa treatments, round of golf etc. They then know that on their return to the car they will have sufficient charge to continue with their journey.
What efforts do you take to ‘future proof’ hotel sites like Macdonald Hotels & Resorts?
We maximise the power available from both new supplies and existing supplies where we will install initial chargers to meet the current demand for EV chargers, as well as additional infrastructure. Having the infrastructure in place for further chargers from day one allows us to install additional chargers as demand increases with minimal disruption, giving guests and visitors access to these sockets within the same day.
How do you ensure that your hotel EV chargers fit for purpose?
All our charging units are universal type 2 sockets providing access to all vehicles, which gives the hotels the peace of mind that all their guests will be able to charge when staying on site.
As previously mentioned, EVC will take into consideration dwell times at each site, number of bedrooms and number of parking bays which will give us an understanding of what type and number of chargers will be suitable. Our 22kW fast charging units are perfect for hotels & resorts as people will be able to charge their vehicle overnight and continue with their journey in the morning with a fully charged battery. For hotels that may accommodate for shorter dwell times with spas, golf courses, restaurants, cafes, etc., we are installing rapid charging infrastructure which will provide a quicker charge to those guests who need it.
Club Company partner with EVC
https://www.evc.co.uk/about-us/news/142-club-company-partner-with-evc
EVC Partner with Major Hotel Chains
https://www.evc.co.uk/about-us/news/143-evc-partner-with-major-hotel-chains
EVC Partner with Macdonald Hotel & Resorts
https://www.evc.co.uk/about-us/news/106-macdonald-hotels-partner-with-evc
