What Most Businesses Get Wrong About EV Charging
Most EV charging problems are decided before a single charger goes in: the wrong speed, the wrong place, or nobody looking after it. Here are the mistakes we see most, and how to avoid them.
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Most of the EV charging mistakes we are asked to fix were made before a single charger went in. The hardware usually works. What goes wrong is the thinking around it: chargers that are faster than the site needs, in the wrong place, or with nobody responsible for them once the installer has left.
What do most businesses get wrong about EV charging?
The most common EV charging mistakes are buying for charger speed instead of how long people stay, treating the project as a one-off purchase rather than a service, and not deciding who looks after the chargers after installation. Each one is easy to avoid if it is caught at the planning stage.
The six mistakes we see most often
1. Buying the fastest charger available
Faster sounds better, but it is rarely what a site needs. A guest staying overnight, a member of staff on an eight-hour shift and a visitor stopping for lunch all need very different charging. Rapid chargers cost more to buy, need more power and often need a grid upgrade. Matching speed to dwell time is almost always the better decision, which is the thinking behind designing EV charging around dwell time.
2. Ignoring the power you already have
Many sites assume they need a costly grid upgrade before they have checked what their existing supply can do. Load management and the right charger mix often make the most of the capacity already there. A proper site survey answers this once, properly.
3. Putting chargers where they are easy to install, not easy to use
The cheapest spot to dig is not always the spot drivers will find or use. Chargers that are hidden, badly signed or in bays that get blocked by other cars quietly fail, even when they work perfectly. We explain why location matters more than charger speed.
4. Treating it as a one-off purchase
A charger is closer to a service than a product. It needs software, payments, tariffs, updates and driver support for as long as it is in the ground. Comparing quotes on hardware price alone tends to leave those costs, and the work, with you.
5. Not deciding who owns the problem
When a charger fails, a driver will look for someone to call. If the answer is your reception desk, your team becomes the help desk. Before signing anything, agree who owns the problem when EV charging goes wrong.
6. Waiting for the perfect moment
Some businesses delay because they expect technology or grants to change. Both will, but waiting has a cost too: guests and staff who drive electric go elsewhere in the meantime. The better approach is a sensible first installation that is designed to grow.
Is this you?
You have been quoted for rapid chargers but most of your visitors stay for an hour or more.
Your quotes compare charger prices but say little about software, support or who fixes faults.
You have been told you need a grid upgrade but have not had a survey.
You already have chargers, but they are often out of service and nobody is quite sure who to call.
If any of these sound familiar, it is worth a second opinion before you spend anything.
How to avoid the most common EV charging mistakes
Step 1: Start with how long people stay
List who parks on your site and for how long: overnight guests, day visitors, staff, fleet vehicles. That list, more than any spec sheet, decides the right charger type. If you run a hotel, our hotel charging page shows how this works in practice.
Step 2: Survey before you specify
Get a site survey that checks available power, cable routes and parking layout before anyone recommends hardware. It is the single best protection against overspending.
Step 3: Talk about funding early
How the project is paid for changes what you pay and what you control, so settle it before you compare hardware. Funding options change over time, so speak to Connekt about what is available for your site, and read our guide to choosing an EV charging model you won't regret in five years.
Step 4: Ask how faults are found and fixed
Ask every supplier who monitors the chargers, how faults are reported and how quickly they are fixed. Connekt's network runs at 99.13% uptime, and up to 96.5% of faults are fixed remotely, often before a driver notices.
A real example: Speyside Centre
Speyside Centre, a family-run visitor destination in the Cairngorms, had lived with around two years of unreliable chargers that relied on reconditioned parts with no warranty. The site had limited power and visitors typically stay one to two hours. Rather than recommend larger chargers, Connekt replaced the old units with two 7.4kW chargers, which add roughly 30 to 60 miles of range during a typical visit, backed by ongoing support.
The right charger is the one that fits how long people stay and what your site can supply, not the fastest one on the price list.
When this isn't the right fit
Not every site needs outside help. If you have an in-house electrical team, plenty of spare capacity and the time to run software, payments and driver support yourself, buying and managing chargers directly can work well. Be realistic about the time it takes, though: our article on why EV charging is not your core business, and that's fine sets out what is involved.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common mistake businesses make with EV charging?
The most common mistake is choosing charger speed before understanding how long people stay on site. Overnight guests and staff on a full shift are well served by slower AC chargers, while rapid chargers suit short stops. Buying rapid chargers for long-stay parking costs more, needs more power and often brings little benefit to drivers.
Do I need rapid chargers at my business?
Usually not. Rapid chargers suit sites where drivers stop for under an hour, such as on main routes. Hotels, leisure venues and workplaces, where people stay for several hours or overnight, are normally better served by 7kW to 22kW AC chargers, which cost less to install and run. Our guide to fast vs rapid EV chargers explains the difference.
Why do business EV chargers stop working?
Chargers fail for many reasons, including connectivity drops, software faults, damaged cables and power issues. The real problem is often that nobody is monitoring them, so faults go unnoticed until a driver complains. A managed service monitors chargers remotely and can fix many faults without a site visit.
Can I replace old or unreliable EV chargers?
Yes. Where cabling and power are already in place, replacing unreliable units is often straightforward. It is also a chance to check whether the original chargers were the right speed for the site. Speyside Centre in the Cairngorms replaced two years of unreliable chargers with modern units matched to its visitors' one to two hour stays.
How do I compare EV charging quotes?
Compare what happens after installation, not just the hardware price. Check who supplies the software, how payments and tariffs work, who monitors the chargers, how faults are fixed and what support drivers get. Two quotes with similar charger prices can lead to very different costs and workload over five years.
The bottom line
Most EV charging mistakes come from deciding in the wrong order: hardware first, questions later. Start with how people use your site, survey what power you have, and agree who looks after the chargers before you sign. If you would like a second opinion on a plan or a quote, speak to Connekt.
This article is general information, not electrical, legal or financial advice. Grant eligibility, regulations and tariffs differ across the UK and change over time; check the current position with a qualified installer or the relevant body before acting.
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