Level 2 or DC fast charging for your business, sized to how long customers stay

Start with dwell time

The right charger is the one that delivers a useful amount of energy during the time a customer is already on the property. The table below gives planning rules of thumb, not measured statistics. Point-of-sale timestamps, parking records or a short count of your own visitors will give a better figure for your site.

How much energy a visit delivers

Energy delivered equals power multiplied by time. A 50 kW charger used for 45 minutes delivers about 37 kWh, roughly 110 to 130 miles of range at an approximate 3 to 3.5 miles per kWh; efficiency varies by vehicle. NYSERDA states that Level 2 charging typically adds about 25 miles of range per hour.

The car sets the limit as much as the charger does. Many EVs accept only 7 to 11.5 kW on AC, so a 19.2 kW Level 2 unit seldom delivers its full rating. On DC, charging power tapers as the battery fills, usually above about 60 to 80% state of charge, and it is lower in cold weather. Average session power is therefore well below the nameplate figure, and planning should use the vehicle's specifications, not the charger's.

Why the most powerful charger is often the wrong choice

A 350 kW charger costs much more per port, usually requires 480 V three-phase service, and exposes the site to large demand charges. Many NYC commercial buildings have 120/208 V service, so high-power DC can mean a new service or a transformer. It also shortens the visit, which is the opposite of what most retail hosts want. For most businesses, two to four DC units of 60 to 120 kW with power sharing serve more customers at lower cost.

Level 2 is inexpensive per port and adds little to peak demand. DC is expensive per port and carries demand charge exposure, explained in our guide to demand charges in Con Edison and PSEG Long Island territory. Incentives differ as well. NYSERDA Charge Ready NY 2.0 supports Level 2 only, and not at retail or restaurant parking. The Make-Ready Program required DC ports of at least 50 kW, and its DC fast charging applications have been paused since April 22, 2026.

Pricing, idle fees and payment

The national model rules published by NIST treat electricity sold as vehicle fuel as sold by the kWh, and they allow separately disclosed time-based fees for parking or idling. New York adopts NIST Handbook 44 through 1 NYCRR Part 220.2. Under Handbook 44 Section 3.40, AC charging equipment must be accurate to within 1% at acceptance and 2% in service; DC equipment is exempt from these tolerances until January 1, 2028. Confirm current requirements with the New York State Bureau of Weights and Measures. A state bill, A5038, would require per-kWh billing, a displayed unit price and credit card acceptance, but as of January 2026 it remained in committee and is not law.

Free charging at a busy location tends to attract all-day parkers. Card readers also fail more often in rain and cold than owners expect, and requiring a smartphone app causes some drivers to leave.

• Charge a per-kWh energy price, shown on the charger before the session starts.
• Add an idle fee after the session ends, with a grace period of 5 to 10 minutes and a cap, posted on the charger and on signage.
• Provide an outdoor-rated contactless card reader at the charger, with QR code or app payment as a backup.
• Display the charging provider's contact information on each charger; the Make-Ready Program requires this for chargers committed after January 12, 2024.

Linking charging to in-store purchases

Charging can be tied to sales through the charging management software, not the charger itself. OCPP lets the charger authorize a session by ID token and apply the tariff the back-end sends, and the back-end handles discounts and integration with the point-of-sale or loyalty system. These tools can encourage customers to stay and spend; results depend on the business and the location.

• Validation codes printed on receipts and entered at the charger or in the app.
• A set amount of free or discounted kWh with a purchase, using the back-end's tariff and ID token features.
• Loyalty program integration through the back-end's API.
• Free charging limited to customers. This can change a site's publicly accessible status under incentive programs, because the Make-Ready Program defines publicly accessible as available without an access fee; review the program terms before choosing this option.

Accessibility and site layout

The U.S. Access Board's technical guidance recommends that EV spaces with accessible mobility features be at least 132 inches (11 feet) wide and 240 inches (20 feet) long, with an adjacent access aisle at least 60 inches wide along the full length. Operable parts, including the card reader and the connector release, should be no higher than 48 inches and on an accessible route. The ADA standards do not yet set a number of accessible chargers; a reasonable number is required, and the Access Board plans a rulemaking on the minimum. The guidance describes a use-last approach, in which signs ask other drivers to use the accessible charger last, rather than reserving it. Converting a required accessible parking space to EV-only use requires recalculating the accessible spaces for the lot. This is guidance, not legal advice; confirm NYC and NYS code requirements with the design professional on the project.

• Place chargers near the entrance, but not in the most valuable spaces for customers without EVs.
• Protect equipment with bollards and wheel stops.
• Plan cable reach for charge ports at the front or rear and on either side; many NACS vehicles have the port at the rear left.
• Provide lighting and security cameras, and a wired network connection where cellular coverage is weak.
• Post EV-only signage that matches the property's enforcement and towing policy, and plan snow removal and drainage around the equipment.
• Install conduit stub-outs for future ports during the first trenching, which is far cheaper than opening the pavement again.

Multifamily buildings and fleet depots

In multifamily buildings, load management lets many Level 2 chargers share the building's available capacity, as described in our guide to EV charging without a service upgrade. Owners must also decide between assigned and shared spaces; Charge Ready NY 2.0 pays less per port for assigned spaces. Tenants can be billed by the kWh through the charging software.

For fleets, start from the energy each vehicle uses per shift and the hours it is parked. Most depots can charge overnight at Level 2 or modest DC power with scheduling, and in Con Edison territory SmartCharge Commercial pays $0.03 per kWh for charging between midnight and 8 a.m.

Information to prepare before requesting an estimate

• Average visit length and peak hours, from sales or parking records.
• Number of parking spaces, a site plan and the location of the electrical room.
• Twelve months of electric bills and the service voltage (120/208 V or 480 V).
• Who will use the chargers: the public, customers only, tenants, employees or fleet vehicles.
• How you intend to price charging and whether you want it linked to purchases.

With this information, we recommend a charger mix and power level, estimate the effect on your electric bill and prepare a layout. Installation is performed by our licensed partner electricians, cameras and network connections are handled through our low-voltage service, and for larger sites we coordinate the utility, permits and trades as one project.