Utility capacity & electrical service
The single biggest determinant of cost and timeline. A site that needs a transformer upgrade can add 6–18 months and six figures — knowing this on day one changes the whole project.
- Current service size (amps / kVA) and main switchgear rating
- Existing peak demand and headroom — pull 12 months of utility bills
- Distance from the main electrical room to proposed charger locations
- Available space for new switchgear, transformers, or a service upgrade
- Utility (Duke Energy, AEP Ohio, Dayton P&L, etc.) — make-ready programs and interconnection timelines
- For DC Fast: confirm 480V three-phase availability or required service upgrade
- Whether on-site solar or battery storage could defer a utility upgrade
Parking layout & charger placement
Where the chargers sit determines trenching length, customer experience, and how many stalls you give up. Most sites have one obviously-right location — and three obviously-wrong ones.
- Total parking count and current utilization by time of day
- Stalls you can dedicate without hurting peak operations
- Proximity to the electrical room (every foot of trenching adds cost)
- Cable management — pedestal vs. wall-mount vs. overhead
- Lighting and security cameras already covering the area
- Snow plowing patterns — chargers can't sit where snow gets piled
- Pull-through access for trucks and trailers (relevant for DC Fast and freight)
- Future expansion — leave conduit and panel capacity for Phase 2
ADA & accessibility
Federal access rules and updated state guidance require accessible EV stalls in most commercial installations. Getting this wrong triggers re-work after inspection — get it right on the drawing.
- Minimum one accessible stall once you install any EV chargers (more required as count grows)
- Accessible stall width and adjacent access aisle dimensions
- Connector height and operable parts within ADA reach ranges
- Accessible route from the charger back to the building entrance
- Surface slope (max 1:48) at the accessible stall and access aisle
- Signage that does not reserve accessible stalls for disabled use only (per current DOJ guidance)
- Local jurisdiction overlays — some Ohio municipalities exceed federal minimums
Zoning, permitting & code
Permitting timelines in the Midwest vary wildly by jurisdiction. A clean application package processed in the right order will save weeks.
- Local zoning — is EV charging a permitted use, accessory use, or conditional?
- Building permit, electrical permit, and (for DC Fast) often a separate utility permit
- NEC Article 625 compliance for EV supply equipment
- Fire marshal review for DC Fast battery-equipped chargers and clearances
- Stormwater and pavement disturbance triggers if trenching exceeds local thresholds
- Sign permits if you brand the canopy or pedestals
- Landlord / REIT approvals if you don't own the property outright
Incentives, funding & deal structure
The cheapest charger is the one someone else paid for. Most Midwest projects stack at least two incentives — leaving them on the table is the most common avoidable mistake we see.
- Federal 30C Alternative Fuel Refueling Property Credit — up to 30% / $100K per unit in eligible census tracts
- NEVI (National EV Infrastructure) funding for sites along designated AFCs
- State and utility rebates — Duke Energy, AEP Ohio, and others offer make-ready and rebate programs
- USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for qualifying rural sites
- Local economic development incentives and tax abatements
- Deal structure: host-owned, operator-managed, or hybrid — each has different cash, revenue, and risk profiles
- Depreciation and accelerated cost recovery on the electrical infrastructure
Networking, payments & uptime
A charger that doesn't work is worse than one that isn't there. Plan the software, payment, and service model before the hardware order — not after.
- Network provider and OCPP compatibility (avoid getting locked into one vendor's hardware)
- Payment: tap-to-pay, app, RFID — and whether guests are billed at all
- Pricing model: per-kWh, per-session, time-of-use, idle fees
- Visibility on PlugShare, Google Maps, Tesla / Apple Maps, and major route planners
- Branding — does your hotel / center logo show up, or someone else's network?
- Maintenance SLA — target 97%+ uptime with a defined response window
- Cellular signal at the charger location (most networks require it)
- Energy management to avoid demand-charge spikes when multiple chargers run simultaneously