Vending at EV Charging Stations – Time for a Coffee

Charging takes a while. Drivers have time for a coffee and snack.

The car is plugged in, and the charger's screen shows the estimated time until charging is done. The driver gets out, looks around the parking lot, and wonders what to do with that time. The nearest café is closed, the shop is far away, and the water in the car ran out. At a growing number of charging stations, drivers spend time they never had when filling up with gas. A machine with coffee, drinks, and snacks can make that time more pleasant. This article explains how to choose a range for a machine at a charging station, where to put it, and what to watch out for. We don't give charging times or regulations. We'll show you what to think about.

How Charging Differs From Filling Up

Filling up takes a few minutes. The driver pays and drives on, often without getting out for long. Charging an electric car takes longer, and how long depends on the charger, the car, and the battery's state. During that time, the driver and passengers have some free time. Some stay in the car with their phone, others get out to stretch their legs, have a drink, or eat something. That waiting time is exactly what can make a machine at a charging station more sensible than one at a regular pump. The driver has time to walk over, choose, and drink a coffee in peace.

Who Charges and When

All kinds of drivers use charging stations. Travelers on the highway stop for a longer charge and are happy to take a break. Locals charge after work or on the weekend. Fleet, taxi, and ride-service drivers charge during the day between trips, often regularly at the same places. Some charging happens at night, especially along highways. Each group has different needs. So check who uses a given station most often, and when, before choosing the range.

Where a Machine Makes Sense

A machine at a charging station makes sense mainly where there are no other food and drink outlets nearby, or where they're closed for part of the day. Typical spots are unstaffed highway parking areas, charging stations at office buildings, hotels, or malls outside their opening hours, city parking lots, and residential charging hubs. At a station by a large shopping center open all day, a machine may be less needed, though it still helps in the evening and at night. Check what's available within a few minutes' walk.

Coffee as the Main Product

Coffee is what drivers look for most while charging. It lets them take a break, rest, and pass the time. A coffee machine at a charging station can be very popular, especially in the morning, at night, and along highways. It should offer a few basic drinks: black coffee, coffee with milk, tea, and hot chocolate. Cups with lids matter, because drivers often take their coffee back to the car or on the road. A hot drinks machine, though, needs water, power, and more frequent service than a bottled drinks machine.

Cold Drinks

Besides coffee, drivers buy water, juices, sodas, and iced teas. In summer, cold drinks sell faster than hot ones, and in winter it's the reverse. Bottles with screw caps fit a car's cup holder and don't spill on the road. Stock a few sizes, because a driver on a short trip buys a small bottle while a family with children buys a bigger one. If the machine only does coffee and there's nothing cold to drink nearby, a second machine or a vending cooler with drinks can be a good addition.

Snacks for the Wait

During a longer charge, drivers often feel like eating something. Bars, nuts, cookies, chips, wafers, and sandwiches, if the machine is refrigerated, work well. Snacks should be easy to eat in the car, without crumbs or sticky hands. Along highways and at night, something more filling helps, because the driver may have no other chance to eat. Families with children will happily buy something sweet. Watch sales and adjust the range after the first few weeks.

Practical Products

At a charging station, small practical products can also work well. Car chargers and phone cables, tissues, glass wipes, air fresheners. A driver waiting for the car to charge is often charging their phone too and discovers they forgot the cable. You don't need everything. A few well-chosen items often sell better than a wide range. If someone on site has contact with drivers, ask the charging network operator or the parking lot owner what drivers ask for most often.

Where to Put the Machine

The machine should stand close to the chargers, but where it doesn't get in the way of cars maneuvering or access to the charging bays. A sidewalk next to the bays, a covered shelter, or the wall of a nearby building are good spots. The driver should be able to see the machine from where they're charging and reach it in a minute. A machine tucked around the corner of a building will be ignored. Good lighting matters too, because a lot of charging happens in the evening and at night. The landowner decides where the machine can stand.

Powering the Machine

A charging station is a place with no shortage of electricity, but that doesn't mean the machine can be connected to just any source. The machine needs its own proper connection. You'll find its requirements on the rating plate and in the manual. Whether the available wiring meets them and how to connect the machine safely is for an electrician to judge. The machine shouldn't use outlets meant for other purposes or extension cords run across the parking lot. Agree with the landowner on how the machine's electricity will be billed before installation.

Weather and Shelter

A machine at a charging station often stands outdoors, exposed to rain, snow, frost, and sun. It must be designed for that or sheltered. The manufacturer describes in the manual the conditions the machine can operate in. A roof protects the machine, but also the driver, who doesn't want to stand at an unsheltered machine in the rain. A coffee machine in freezing weather needs special attention, because the water in the system must not freeze. A machine in full sun heats up, and the cooling has to work harder. Shade and a roof are simple ways to help it run better.

Payments Without Staff

Charging stations usually have no staff, so the machine has to take payments on its own. EV drivers are used to paying with apps, cards, and phones. Contactless payments are essential here. Cash is needed less often, though some customers may find it useful. Cashless payments need a network signal where the machine stands. Along highways outside town, the signal can be weaker, so check it. The machine's documentation describes the payment modules in detail.

Security and Vandalism

Unstaffed charging stations, especially at night and outside town, can be exposed to vandalism. Good lighting, a visible spot, and closeness to buildings or a busy road reduce the risk. Bolt the machine to the ground or a wall so it can't be tipped over or moved. Agree with the landowner on what happens in case of damage, who reports the problem, and who covers the costs. The operator's contact details on the machine let drivers report a fault when nobody is on site.

Restocking and Access

The operator needs easy access to the machine and a place to park without blocking the charging bays. A service van occupying a charger during restocking will quickly annoy drivers. It's best to restock during quieter hours. Along highways, traffic picks up on weekends, before long weekends, and during vacations. A coffee machine needs regular top-ups of coffee, milk, cups, and water, as well as cleaning. Watch which products sell fastest, and don't let rows go empty at peak times.

Working With the Charging Network Operator

A charging station is usually run by a charging network operator, while the land belongs to the owner of a parking lot, hotel, mall, or the local municipality. A machine needs the landowner's consent and often arrangements with the charging operator too. Prepare a concrete proposal: where the machine will stand, where its power will come from, what it will sell, who runs it, and how problems will be reported. The terms of the arrangement go in an agreement. You can browse devices on the page with vending machines (publisher's site).

A Place to Rest

A machine at a charging station works best when there's a place nearby to rest for a moment. A bench, a table, a shelter from the rain. A driver with a coffee in hand is more likely to linger by the machine if there's somewhere to sit. A spot like that turns a charging station into a pleasant stop rather than just a parking lot with chargers. Discuss it with the landowner, because a bench and a roof are an investment that can draw more drivers to the station and to the machine.

Tidiness at the Machine

Waste piles up quickly by the machine: coffee cups, bottles, cans, wrappers. The bin next to the machine has to be big and emptied regularly, ideally with separate recycling sections. At unstaffed stations, agree on who handles it, or the bin will soon overflow. Cleanliness around the machine affects whether drivers want to use it. A sticky flap, an overflowing bin, and spilled coffee on the sidewalk signal that nobody looks after it.

Example: A Highway Charging Hub

A charging hub with several bays operates along a highway, a few miles from the nearest town. There's no shop or café. The landowner decides on a coffee machine and a second machine with drinks and snacks. Both go under a shelter by the bays, next to benches. An electrician sets up a separate connection. The operator schedules deliveries midweek and on Fridays. A few weeks later, it turns out coffee sells best in the morning and at night, and phone chargers sell more often than expected. The operator increases the stock of cups and cables.

Common Mistakes

A few mistakes come up again and again with machines at charging stations. The first is placing the machine far from the chargers or somewhere hidden. The second is a machine with no roof, exposed to rain and sun. The third is connecting the machine to the wrong power source. The fourth is not offering contactless payments. The fifth is restocking in a way that blocks the charging bays. Each of these turns a machine meant to make charging time more pleasant into a nuisance.

What to Check Before You Decide

Before you put a machine at a charging station, check:

• Who charges at this station, and at what times?
• Are there other food and drink outlets nearby?
• Where will the machine be visible from the charging spot without blocking maneuvers?
• Has an electrician set up a proper connection for the machine?
• Is the machine designed for outdoor use, or will it be under a roof?
• Is there a signal for cashless payments at the spot?
• Do the landowner and the charging operator agree to the machine?
• How will the operator restock the machine without blocking the chargers?

The answers will help you judge whether a machine at a charging station will be a convenient stop for drivers.

FAQ

What sells best in a vending machine at a charging station? Usually coffee, water, and snacks, and sometimes small items such as phone chargers.

Can the machine be powered from a car charger? No. The machine needs its own proper connection, which an electrician should set up.

Can the machine stand outdoors? Yes, if the manufacturer allows it. A roof protects both the machine and the customers.

Who decides whether a machine can be installed? The landowner, and often the charging network operator too. The terms go in an agreement.