Airbnb Partners With ChargePoint To Boost Growing EV Charger Demand

The last few years have seen a tremendous increase in the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

Yet, there is one challenge that has since long been a troublesome roadblock for the industry - charging anxiety.

This includes the lengthy amount of time charging sessions take, the low number of public charging stations and the lack of availability of space to charge a vehicle at an EV charging station. In contrast, an internal combustion engine vehicle can fuel up and be back on the road in a matter of minutes.

While EV users traveling short distances can charge up their vehicle overnight at home or elsewhere if halting for a long duration, those traveling on vacation face additional concerns.

This phenomenon was even observed by Airbnb Inc., the online homestay and hospitality marketplace, which noted a more than 80 percent increase in searches using the “EV charger filter” from 2022 to 2023.

As a result, the company has found it important to support the growing demand of EV chargers for its guests and has announced a move with ChargePoint, a leading provider of networked electric vehicle charging stations, aimed at helping ease charging anxiety and enabling seamless charging.

So, what did the two companies reveal about their latest move? Let’s explore!
 

What Did Airbnb And ChargePoint Announce?

 

• As per news releases published on Airbnb’s and ChargePoint’s websites, the companies have announced a partnership aimed at meeting the growing demand in EV charging from Airbnb guests.

• The move will make it easier for hosts in the United States to install EV chargers at their locations and listings, as well as expand access to EV chargers across the US.

• This includes providing Airbnb hosts with discounts of up to 36% on select ChargePoint EV charger models, $100 off on installation services and an additional $200 discount for the first 1,000 hosts using ChargePoint to buy an EV charger (funded by Airbnb).

• This package, which is exclusively offered to Airbnb hosts, comes with a dedicated website offering ChargePoint hardware, charger management software, installation and support services.

• On the other hand, guests will be able to use the ChargePoint app to seamlessly charge their vehicles while staying at an Airbnb with a ChargePoint charger or at 917,000 other places made available through the ChargePoint network and its roaming partners.

• The states of California, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Washington and North Carolina ranked as the most popular states for EV chargers in 2023.

• As per Airbnb’s release, “Listings that offer an EV charger are booked for more nights and generate more income, on average compared to listings without an EV charger, according to internal Airbnb data.”

 

What Did Stakeholders Say?

 

• Ameet Konkar, Airbnb’s Director of Sustainability, said, “We are thrilled to join forces with ChargePoint to help hosts meet growing demand for electric vehicle chargers from guests. By making it more affordable for hosts to install EV chargers, we are empowering them to take more sustainable actions and appeal to guests who are interested in this amenity.”

• Rick Wilmer, CEO at ChargePoint, said, “With Airbnb, we are enabling more EV charging for drivers where they need it and helping Airbnb hosts appeal to more travelers by delivering a frictionless charging experience for their guests. Through this partnership, we have created an innovative model to deliver integrated charging solutions and services.”

• Wilmer added, “Ensuring all drivers are able to charge when and where they need to, remains our top priority. Together with Airbnb, we are removing barriers to broader adoption of residential charging solutions for Airbnb hosts and enabling a frictionless charging experience for their guests.”

Ahead of this, numerous organizations, such as ABB and KAIST, are engaged in enhancing the charging process or creating new battery solutions.

Do you think the partnership between ChargePoint and Airbnb will inspire its competitors to make similar moves? Do you think this move will benefit the EV industry as a whole?

Let us know in the comments below!