EV Charging for Shopping Centres: Match Bays to Shopping Time.
Shoppers stay anywhere from a 20-minute grocery run to a three-hour mall visit. The right mix of AC and DC chargers, and where you put them, depends on which of those your car park serves most.
Match Chargers to Your Visitor Mix.
Most retail car parks serve several kinds of visitor at once. Plan for the ones you have most of.
| Visitor type | Typical stay | What a charger adds | What fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery & convenience | 15–40 min | About 10–26 km on 7 kW AC, or 30–80 km on 22 kW DC | A compact DC charger near the entrance; AC adds too little here |
| Mall & department store | 1–3 h | About 40–180 km on 7–11 kW AC | Rows of 7–11 kW AC wallboxes deeper in the car park |
| Retail park & big-box | 30–90 min | About 30–90 km on 11 kW AC | 11–22 kW AC, plus DC for the busiest entrance |
| Cinema & evening dining | 2–3 h | About 80–180 km on 7–11 kW AC | AC bays near the leisure entrance, lit for late exits |
| Staff & tenants | Full shift | Enough for a full day of driving on 7 kW AC | A separate staff area with card access |
Estimates assume about 18 kWh per 100 km. AC speed is capped by the car’s onboard charger.
How Much Range Can Shoppers Add During a Visit?
Match charging power to how long shoppers stay. Most mall visits last one to three hours.
| Charging Power | 30-Minute Errand | 1-Hour Visit | 2-Hour Visit | Good Fit For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.4 kW ACSingle-phase wallbox | ≈ 21 km / 13 mi | ≈ 41 km / 25 mi | ≈ 82 km / 51 mi | Staff and cinema parking |
| 11 kW ACThree-phase, or 11.5 kW Level 2 in North America | ≈ 31 km / 19 mi | ≈ 61 km / 38 mi | ≈ 122 km / 76 mi | General shopper bays |
| 22 kW ACThree-phase wallbox | ≈ 61 km / 38 mi* | ≈ 122 km / 76 mi* | ≈ 244 km / 152 mi* | Premium bays for cars with 22 kW onboard chargers |
| 22 kW DCCompact DC | ≈ 61 km / 38 mi | ≈ 122 km / 76 mi | ≈ 244 km / 152 mi | Quick-errand lanes and bays near entrances |
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.
Where Chargers Go in a Retail Car Park.
Short stays near the door
Put DC chargers close to the main entrance, where grocery and convenience shoppers park for a few minutes.
Long stays further out
Mall and cinema visitors walk further anyway. Rows of AC wallboxes deeper in the car park keep prime bays free.
Stay close to the switch room
Every metre of trenching costs money. Group chargers near an existing electrical room or substation where you can.
Separate staff bays
Staff park all day and would fill shopper bays. Give them their own charging area with card access.
Signs from the entrance
On a large or multi-level site, signpost the charging area from the car park entrance and on each level.
Duct for the next row
Lay spare ducting when you dig for the first chargers, so the next row does not mean digging up the car park again.
Keep Retail Bays Turning Over.
Show the price clearly
Public chargers in many markets must show the price per kWh before charging starts. See the rules below for your region.
Idle fees for busy days
On weekends and holidays, a fee that starts after charging ends keeps full cars from blocking bays.
Reward shoppers
Offer a charging discount with a receipt or through your loyalty app, so charging brings people into the stores.
Watch uptime
A broken public charger gets bad reviews fast. Chargers report faults over OCPP, so agree who checks alerts and resets units.
Chargers That Fit Retail Car Parks.
Specifications from our current product catalogue. Certificates are listed per model in every quote.
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 grocery and convenience bays near the entrance.
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 mall and cinema bays where visitors stay 1–3 hours.
EV-ACT3208PE socket wallbox
- Up to 22 kW, 6–32 A, three-phase
- Type 2 socket: drivers use their own cable
- Over-current, over-temperature and control-pilot fault protection
- IP56
Best for public bays where drivers bring their own cable.
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 areas and smaller retail parks.
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 most retail sites in the US and Canada.
EV-ACT5002U / EV-ACT5002T
- 50 A, 12 kW, 240 V
- J1772 (U) or NACS (T), 25 ft cable
- Hardwired installation
- App and plug-and-charge start
Best for long-stay US bays that need the fastest Level 2 rate.
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
Free, Paid or Validated?
There is no single right model. Pick the one that fits your center, then adjust it using your own usage data.
Free With a Time Limit
Best for: Drawing EV drivers to your center and lifting visit frequency.
How it works: Charging is free for a set session length, such as two hours, so bays keep turning over.
Watch out for: Non-shoppers using the bays. Enforce the limit with idle fees or parking rules.
Paid per kWh
Best for: Recovering electricity costs at busy centers.
How it works: Drivers pay per kWh by app, RFID or contactless card, with an idle fee once the car is full.
Watch out for: Payment and price-display rules for public chargers in your market.
Free for Loyalty Members
Best for: Rewarding repeat shoppers and supporting tenants.
How it works: Members get free or discounted charging through RFID cards or app access lists.
Watch out for: Keeping sign-up simple for shoppers and information-desk staff.
Send Us These 6 Details for a Tailored Plan.
This helps our engineers recommend the right configuration for your site faster.
Retail & Shopping Mall EV Charging — Frequently Asked Questions.
Should a shopping centre install AC or DC chargers?
Most centres need both. Shoppers who stay one to three hours are well served by 7 to 22 kW AC chargers, which cost less to install. Short-stay grocery and convenience visitors only gain meaningful range from DC, so a compact DC charger near the entrance covers them.
Where in the car park should the chargers go?
Put DC chargers near the main entrance for short stays and AC wallboxes further out for longer visits. Keep chargers close to an existing electrical room where possible, because trenching is often the biggest installation cost.
How many charging bays should we start with?
Start with enough bays to test demand, often a handful of AC bays and one DC charger, and lay ducting for more. Charger session data will show you when bays are busy and where to add the next row.
Can we limit free charging to shoppers?
Yes. You can give free or discounted sessions through your loyalty app, validate charging with a receipt, or issue RFID cards at customer service, while other drivers pay the normal tariff.
Do staff and tenants need separate chargers?
It helps. Staff park for whole shifts and would take shopper bays all day. A separate staff area with card access keeps both groups happy.
Who looks after the chargers once they are installed?
Chargers report faults over OCPP to the platform you choose. Our technical team answers trade support tickets within 12 hours and replaces faulty modules, so units do not need to be shipped back.
Related EV Charging Solutions.
Power Up Your Shopping Center With Smart Retail Charging.
Send us your car park layout, visitor mix and supply rating. We will suggest where AC and DC chargers should go and how many to start with.