During this week's Hotec North America conference at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Florida, the host hotel unveiled an electric vehicle charging station with EVPassport’s new Howard, a Level 2, 19.2 kilowatt charger—one of the fastest EV charging options available.
EV chargers installed at hotels across the U.S. typically are Level 2, 7 kW chargers. The new higher capacity chargers will let guests arrive in their electric vehicles, scan a QR code to pay and walk away while the battery recharges. Level 2 EV chargers can completely refuel a car’s battery in about 90 minutes, and guests can move their cars to a traditional spot once it no longer needs to charge.
Open APIs allow for integrations with popular services like Google Maps and Apple Pay so that drivers can see charger locations and click directly through to start a charging session without having to download an additional app or create a separate provider account. The APIs let organizations integrate live EVPassport chargers directly into their existing consumer-facing applications and services. Chargers also can help hotels secure extra revenue.
As electric vehicles take more market share, hoteliers will have a range of options when it comes to selecting chargers. The “more industrial” DC fast chargers are popular for rest stops along the highway, Hooman Shahidi, president and chief revenue officer at EVPassport, said at the unveiling. “Level 2s are really focused for guests who ... know they're going to be here for at least an hour or longer.” On average, EVPasport’s chargers are 75 percent more affordable than its competitors, Shahidi added.
"We’re seeing a significant rise in drive-up traffic as travelers re-emerge and the hospitality industry resets for the post-pandemic era,” said Jeffrey Klein, VP and managing director at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa. "Installing EVPassport’s Howard chargers on our property continues our commitment to offering our guests the very best amenities and services while advancing the sustainability movement."
“We look forward to leveraging infrastructure as a core piece of the guests experience and the guest engagement process,” Shahidi said. “Eventually, this isn’t going to be an amenity. It's going to be just like Wi-Fi, a necessary component.”
Photos by Hotel Management