Hospital EV Charging: Staff, Patients and Visitors Need Different Things.
A hospital car park runs 24 hours a day and serves staff on long shifts, outpatients on short visits and families who stay unpredictably. Each group needs a different charging setup.
Plan for Each Group Separately.
| Group | Typical stay | What fits |
|---|---|---|
| Day and night shift staff | 8–12 h | 7 kW AC on staff-only bays with card access |
| Outpatients | 1–3 h | 11–22 kW AC close to outpatient entrances |
| Visitors and families | 30 min to several hours | AC with time limits, plus a compact DC charger for short stays |
| Hospital fleet and patient transport | Between trips | AC overnight, DC for quick top-ups between runs |
| Emergency department | — | No charging bays in ambulance lanes or emergency drop-off areas |
How Much Range Do Visitors and Staff Add While Parked?
Hospitals serve short visits, long outpatient appointments and 8- to 12-hour staff shifts. Match charging power to each group.
| Charging Power | 1-Hour Visit | 2-Hour Visit | 4-Hour Visit | Good Fit For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.4 kW ACSingle-phase wallbox | ≈ 41 km / 25 mi | ≈ 82 km / 51 mi | ≈ 164 km / 102 mi | Staff parking for long shifts |
| 11 kW ACThree-phase, or 11.5 kW Level 2 in North America | ≈ 61 km / 38 mi | ≈ 122 km / 76 mi | ≈ 244 km / 152 mi | Visitor and outpatient bays |
| 22 kW ACThree-phase wallbox | ≈ 122 km / 76 mi* | ≈ 244 km / 152 mi* | Near full for most cars† | Fleet vehicles that accept 22 kW AC |
| 22 kW DCCompact DC | ≈ 122 km / 76 mi | ≈ 244 km / 152 mi | Near full for most cars† | Short visits and patient transport turnarounds |
Estimates assume average consumption of 18 kWh per 100 km (about 3.5 miles per kWh), and do not include charging losses; real results vary with the vehicle, temperature and battery level. *AC charging speed is capped by the vehicle's onboard charger. Many EVs accept 11 kW AC at most, so a 22 kW AC charger gives those cars 11 kW. DC charging bypasses the onboard charger. †Most EV batteries hold roughly 50–80 kWh, and DC charging slows down as the battery fills.
What Hospitals Must Get Right.
Keep emergency routes clear
Charging bays and cables must never sit in ambulance lanes, emergency drop-off zones or fire access routes.
Accessible bays matter more here
Many visitors have limited mobility. Follow local guidance on accessible charging bays, such as PAS 1899 in the UK or the US Access Board guidance.
Separate from critical power
Chargers should be fed from the general supply, not essential or life-safety circuits. Agree this with your estates and engineering team.
Light and secure for night shifts
Night staff walk to their cars in the dark. Light the bays well and place them within CCTV coverage.
Staff bays away from visitors
Staff park for whole shifts. A separate staff charging area with card access keeps visitor bays free.
Clear wayfinding
Visitors are often stressed and unfamiliar with the site. Signpost the charging area from the entrance.
Run It Around the Clock.
Staff access and pricing
Give staff RFID cards or app access with their own tariff, separate from visitor pricing.
Time limits for visitor bays
A time limit and an idle fee after charging ends keep visitor bays available through the day.
Fault alerts at any hour
Chargers report faults over OCPP. Agree who receives alerts at night and at weekends.
Schedule fleet charging
Charge fleet vehicles overnight when demand is low, and keep one fast option for vehicles that must go out again quickly.
Chargers That Fit Hospital Sites.
Specifications from our current product catalogue. Certificates are listed per model in every quote.
EV-ACT3204E wallbox
- 7 kW, 32 A, 230 V single-phase
- Tethered Type 2 cable, 5 m or 7 m
- RFID card, app and plug-and-charge start
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, 4G optional
Best for staff bays on a single-phase supply.
EV-ACT1602PE wallbox
- 11 kW, 16 A, 380–400 V three-phase
- Tethered Type 2 cable, CEE 5-pin plug
- RFID card, app and plug-and-charge start
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, 4G optional
Best for staff and outpatient bays on a three-phase supply.
EV-ACT3204PE wallbox
- 22 kW, 32 A, 380–400 V three-phase
- Tethered Type 2 cable, CEE 5-pin plug
- RFID card, app and plug-and-charge start
- IP66
Best for outpatient bays where visits last 1–3 hours.
EV-RHDC30K-L compact DC charger
- 22 kW DC output, single tethered connector
- 380–415 V three-phase input
- OCPP 1.6J, RFID card and app start
- IP54, 5 m cable, floor-standing
Best for short visitor stays and fleet top-ups.
EV-ACT3204U / EV-ACT3204T
- 32 A, 7.68 kW, 240 V
- J1772 (U) or NACS (T), 25 ft cable
- NEMA 14-50 plug
- App and plug-and-charge start
Best for staff bays in the US and Canada.
EV-ACT4001U / EV-ACT4001T
- Up to 40 A, 9.6 kW, 208–240 V
- J1772 (U) or NACS (T), 25 ft cable
- NEMA 14-50 plug, needs a 50 A breaker
- NEMA 4 / IP66, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Best for outpatient and visitor bays in North America.
Final circuit sizing and permits must follow your local electrical code and be confirmed by a licensed electrician.
Rules to Check Before You Buy.
Chargers that are open to the public face extra rules on safety listings, connectors and payment. Use this checklist for your region.
United States & Canada
- Safety listing from a recognized testing lab (UL, ETL or CSA mark) for the exact model
- Installation to NEC Article 625 in the US or the Canadian Electrical Code
- Connectors: SAE J1772 or NACS (SAE J3400) for AC; CCS1 or NACS for DC
- Check local accessibility rules for public charging bays
European Union
- CE marking, with chargers built to IEC 61851
- Connectors: Type 2 for AC, CCS2 for DC
- Under AFIR, publicly accessible chargers must allow ad-hoc payment: below 50 kW by card reader, contactless device or secure QR payment; 50 kW and above by card reader or contactless device
- Billing per kWh may require calibration-law-compliant metering in some countries, such as Germany
United Kingdom
- UKCA or CE marking
- Connectors: Type 2 for AC, CCS2 for DC
- Under the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, new public charge points of 8 kW and above must accept contactless payment
- Public charging prices must be shown clearly in pence per kWh
Visitors, Staff and Fleet.
Hospitals usually serve three groups with very different needs. Plan access, power and pricing for each.
Visitors & Outpatients
Best for: Short and medium stays near main entrances.
How it works: Pay-per-use by app or a supported payment method, with time limits so bays keep turning over.
Watch out for: Accessible bays, clear signage and good lighting for evening visits.
Staff
Best for: Long shifts in dedicated staff lots.
How it works: RFID or app access for staff, with charging free or billed at cost, and lower power shared across more bays.
Watch out for: Shift changeovers. Notifications and idle fees help free bays for the next shift.
Hospital Fleet
Best for: Patient transport, logistics and service vehicles.
How it works: Reserved bays on a separate access list, with session reports for each vehicle.
Watch out for: Making sure fleet vehicles are charged before the next shift starts.
Send Us These 6 Details for a Tailored Plan.
This helps our engineers recommend the right configuration for your site faster.
Hospital EV Charging — Frequently Asked Questions.
Where should chargers go on a hospital site?
Away from ambulance lanes, emergency drop-off and fire access routes. Put staff chargers in staff areas, outpatient chargers near outpatient entrances, and make sure at least some bays are accessible and well lit.
Can EV chargers affect a hospital’s critical power?
They should not be connected to essential or life-safety circuits. Feed chargers from the general supply and use load management so charging slows down when building demand is high. Your estates team and electrician should confirm the design.
Should staff pay for charging?
That is a policy decision. Many hospitals give staff their own tariff through RFID cards or the app, separate from visitor pricing, so the costs are clear either way.
How do we stop visitors blocking charging bays?
Set a time limit, show it on signs and add an idle fee that starts when charging ends. Fault and session data show whether limits need adjusting.
Do hospitals need DC fast chargers?
Not for staff, who park for whole shifts. A compact DC charger is useful for short visitor stays and for fleet vehicles that need a quick top-up between trips.
Are accessible charging bays required?
Requirements depend on your country. Even where they are not mandatory, guidance such as PAS 1899 in the UK and the US Access Board guidance explains how to make bays usable for disabled drivers.
Secure Your Medical Facility With Certified Reliable Charging.
Send us your site plan, staff and visitor numbers and supply rating. We will suggest which car parks to equip first and how to keep emergency routes clear.