AC vs DC Charging for Hotels: What’s the Right Mix?

Before deciding on the right charging mix, it’s important to understand the key differences between AC and DC charging and how they affect guest charging behavior.

In most hospitality settings, AC charging is the most practical choice. Guests usually leave their vehicles parked for several hours or overnight, giving them plenty of time to charge before they leave.

This makes AC charging an effective foundation for many hospitality charging installations, while DC chargers can add value in situations where guests need to charge more quickly.

When AC Charging is the Right Choice for your Hospitality Property

Overnight hotels, resort properties and leisure venues where guests stay one night or more are natural environments for AC charging. Because vehicles remain parked for longer periods, guests can comfortably recharge without needing high charging speeds.

In addition, AC charging generally has lower installation costs and is often easier to deploy across multiple parking spaces.

AC charging also allows more charge points within the available electrical capacity. With load management, available power can be shared across multiple chargers, helping serve more guests while keeping electricity demand within the property's limits. The same principle can be applied to DC chargers, although charging speeds are typically managed differently depending on the charging needs of the site.

When DC Charging Adds Value in Hospitality      

Hospitality contexts where guests stay for a shorter period or where the property wants a visible premium charging option, DC charging adds value. For example, a city center hotel where business guests arrive at 22:00 and need to leave at 06:00 with a full charge has eight hours, which AC handles, but a guest arriving at midnight and leaving at 05:00 may benefit from faster DC.

DC charging also adds value for day-visitors, such as conference delegates, restaurant guests or wellness visitors who stay two to three hours rather than overnight.

What’s the Right Mix then?

Most hospitality properties benefit from a predominantly AC installation with load management, and one or two DC chargers for guests with shorter stays or specific fast-charging requirements. AC serves the majority. DC handles the exceptions.

The electrical infrastructure should be designed for future DC additions: cable ducts and distribution capacity in place even if DC chargers are not installed in the first phase. The overall cost of futureproofing at installation is small compared to installing it later.         

Energy management across both charger types

All your EV chargers share the same available electrical capacity. An Energy Management System (EMS) continuously monitors building consumption and automatically distributes power between chargers based on real-time demand.

During busy periods, such as evening guest arrivals, charging power can be adjusted to keep the property within its electrical capacity while ensuring hotel operations remain unaffected. This allows AC and DC chargers to operate together efficiently without requiring excessive additional capacity.

EV Charging and Sustainability Certifications

Beyond improving the guest experience, EV charging can also support a hotel's sustainability and certification objectives. Leading schemes such as Green Key, BREEAM In-Use, Green Tourism and ISO 14001 recognize measures that enable sustainable transport, allowing EV charging infrastructure to contribute towards environmental performance goals and certification outcomes. 

As sustainability becomes increasingly important for travelers and businesses, EV charging helps hotels show their commitment to a greener future. It can also make the property more attractive to guests looking for sustainable travel options.