Charging Ahead: Hotels are adding EV chargers on popular routes to drive travel demand

Published On 21 Mar 2023 10:35 AM

EV charging stations have become a growing driver of footfalls and business for hotels along the holiday routes, as well as for those in the cities. Indeed, chargers are becoming imperative if one has to stay competitive.

Many travelers are making out-station trips in their electric vehicles (EV) thanks to the EV charging infrastructure provided by hotels, which is making such rides simpler.

Many hotels have installed EV charging stations at their properties and have plans to add more to cater to the growing number of travellers with EVs. Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) installed 224 EV charging stations at 92 of its properties last year, while Marriott International partnered with ChargeZone to install 100 charging stations across India. Other hotel chains are also ramping up their EV charging infrastructure.

" Currently, more than 20 of our properties have charging stations. Plans are afoot to roll out charging stations across all of our 82 properties in the next three months," said Chander K Baljee, Chairman & Managing Director, of Royal Orchid Hotels Limited.

He said that with the increasing popularity of EVs, more customers are looking for hotels with EV charging facilities.

Last week, WelcomHeritage installed a charging station at its property in Himachal Pradesh's Solan. "We have EV charging stations at our properties in Kasauli and Ramgarh as well. We intend to cover the popular driving holiday route that runs through Himachal Pradesh, from Chandigarh via Kasauli and Solan, to Shimla," said Abinash Manghani, CEO of the hospitality chain.

SunFuel, the provider of EV charging stations, has so far installed over 85 chargers and delivered more than 5,000 charging sessions, said SunFuel Electric’s Founder and CEO Sudhir Nayak. "By FY 2023-24, we intend to install over 400 chargers covering most luxury hotels," he added. The company is targeting to be present in all the 1,600-odd luxury hotels in India.

EV chargers attract business

The Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center has installed a charging station, which has helped it attract repeat customers.

"The EV traveller base is a significant chunk of our repeat guests, and make up almost 40 percent of our customers. Our hotel is located right in the heart of Whitefield, surrounded by many IT parks, major corporations, and tourist spots. The people from these places use our services and EV charging stations," said Sanjay Gupta, General Manager of the hotel.

The hotel also offers discounts on events for EV customers. Gupta added that the EV charging station attracts locals as well, who need to charge their vehicles. "This means they will stay at our facility for a minimum of 30 minutes, and are likely to order a coffee, sandwich, or desserts." Baljee said many travellers dine at their properties while charging their vehicles.

Shivika Sharma, owner of a Tata Nexon EV Max and Bengaluru resident, always makes a stop at Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield every time she is in the vicinity. "I chose an electric vehicle for its lower fuel and maintenance costs, and better driving experience. But I used worry about I’d do if I am not able to charge on time due to the lack charging stations."

"For guests, it has become convenient to charge their vehicles overnight at the property itself. It avoids the hassle of finding charging stations elsewhere, as well as spending additional time while waiting for the car to charge," said Manghani.

Manghani added that in the past two years, short and long driving holidays have gained immense popularity. Plus, travellers are now opting for responsible travel and the demand for EVs, along with the demand for charging stations, is increasing every year.

"Most forecasts predict that by 2030, EV penetration will be around 30-40 percent. Naturally, travellers will look for convenient and reliable charging stations,’’ Manghani added.

More hotels to add EV chargers

Baljee said that many hotels, particularly those in urban areas or located near major highways, have already installed charging stations. "As EVs become more popular and demand for charging stations increases, it is likely that more hotels will prioritize installing EV charging stations to remain competitive and meet customer demand."

India at the moment has about 1,650 EV charging stations that cover a wide range of Tier I and II cities, said Gupta. "I would like to see more chargers in tourist locations like Goa, Kerala, and the hill stations, because that will attract more tourists."

On the other hand, Baljee pointed out that currently, EV charging stations are more prevalent in metros and urban areas where there is a higher concentration of EV owners. "So, hotels in these areas may have a greater need to install EV charging stations to meet the growing demand of EV-owning travelers," he added.