b'SMART OPERATIONSElectric Vehicles: Ready or Not, Here They ComeElectric vehicles are not the latest pet rock. They are here to stay. TheInfrastructureInvestmentandJobsAct,whichwassignedintolawby PresidentJoeBideninNovember2021,includes$5billioninfundingPeterto add a network of 500,000 new charging stations along our nations high- Pellandways, with additional funding that is earmarked for rural locations.On a recent trip to Pennsylvania,welcome drivers of EVs. I have seenconsume a steady amount of powerCanada, using power pedestals sup-when I hope the prices of automo- some campgrounds that either fool- (unless it is plugged in at a Tesla Su- plied by Jamestown Advanced Prod-tive fuel had reached their peak, Iishly prohibit EVs or charge fees thatpercharger station) of about 7,000ucts. KOAs decision was no doubt think everybody in America had be- are far in excess of the actual electricwattsand32amps.Ontheotherbased in part upon its most recent come all too familiar with the termusage costs of charging. On a pre- hand, a single air conditioning unitstudy, which found that one out of pain at the pump. To add insult topandemic vacation in California, Iin a big rig might use 3,200 watts andfive campers own an EV, significantly injury, all three of the vehicles thatrented a Tesla and went out of my27 amps at startup, then settle downhigher than the statistics for non-my wife and I own, and drive, areway to favor restaurants and otherto about 1,200 watts and 10 amps.campers and the general public. diesels.Theseturbodieselsarebusinesses with charging stations.PowerhogssuchasmicrowaveAnotheroptionforgettingon highly fuel-efficient, and we droveIf you are seeking to attract newovens will consume their power inboardistoseeifyourbusiness my car, which gets 45 miles per gal- campers, consider the statistics. Ac- surges.Ifyourparkhas600-ampqualifiesforoneormorefree lon on the highway. We saw dieselcording to the manufacturer, Teslaservice and is already equipped withcharging stations (valued at $500 prices on the side of I-78 as high asbuilt and delivered nearly one mil- 50-amp pedestals, you or your elec- each) from Tesla. The primary re-$6.099 per gallon, and I consideredlion vehicles in 2021, which repre- trician can do the math to determinequirements are that your business myself lucky to fill up at $5.199 onsented an 87% increase in numbershow many EVs can be charging athas a significant volume of drive-in the return trip, using a discount cardover 2020. Compare that with onlyany one time, along with what youtraffic and that you will be willing ataconveniencestorechainin726,000FordF-Seriespickups,can charge their owners for their useto provide the electrical work. This Scranton.which are the best-selling vehicles inof the service and what they are will- couldaccommodatecustomers Even if the price of fuel settles aAmerica.TheTeslaModelYanding to pay, keeping in mind that Teslawho are not otherwise occupying a bit, two things are clear: One is thatModel 3 are among the 20 top-sell- owners are used to paying 25 to 30campsitewitha50-amppower more and more campers will want toingvehiclesintheUnitedStatescents per kilowatt hour at conven- pedestaltenters, for example. If turn to either seasonal camping ortoday. You probably know that Fordtional charging stations. Most EVsyourparkprovidesnon-camping incentiveswheretheywillbeal- will be introducing its 2022 F-150will charge overnight, when temper- related services, such as a restau-lowed to leave their campers on-siteLightning within the coming days,atureshavecooleddownandairrant, swimming lake or miniature between weekends. The other is thatan EV that is designed for towing aconditionerandapplianceusagesgolf course, these charging stations campgrounds are going to be seeingcamper.are lower.definitely offer the potential of in-moreandmoreelectricvehiclesYour customer will either have thecreasingyourbusinessrevenue, (EVs) as time goes onand thisCan Your Park Handle the Load?necessary NEMA 14-50 adapter forboth in charging fees and indirect time will be much sooner than ex- Before you think that EV charging240-voltlevel2chargingorcouldsales. In fact, the navigation sys-pected. This is a market that smartis going to dim your lights and blowbuy one in your store, another po- temsinTeslavehicleswilleven campgroundownerswillcaterto,your circuit breakers, bear in mindtential profit point. Talk with yourguide drivers directly to your loca-not discourage.that you have probably already up- electrical products provider, but antion. To see if you qualify, go here: Few campgrounds prohibit petsgraded your electrical infrastructureEV and an RV can often coexist on ahttps://www.tesla.com/charging-because that would decimate theirto accommodate big rigs with multi- single50-amppowerpedestal.partners.potential pool of campers. Instead,ple air conditioning units that canKampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA) they allow pets and have appropriatedraw tens of thousands of watts ofiscurrentlyintheprocessofin- Its Time to Get on Board rulesandassociatedfees.Bythepower during the course of the day.stalling level 2 chargers at KOA parksElectric vehicles are not the latest sametoken,campgroundsshouldWhencharging,atypicalEVwillacrosstheUnitedStatesandpet rock. They are here to stay. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law by PresidentJoeBideninNovember 2021, includes $5 billion in funding toaddanetworkof500,000new charging stations along our nations highways, with additional funding that is earmarked for rural locations. This will help to make EVs all the more practical and affordable to own and operate, with a target that EVs will account for 50% of new vehicle sales by 2030. Remember when some park own-ers balked at the thought of provid-ingWi-Fitotheircampers?They suddenly faced the realization that Wi-Fiwasthemostsought-after amenity at campgrounds. Take the lead rather than being left behind when it comes to EV charging sta-tions at your park!PeterPellandistheCEOof Pelland Advertising, a company that he founded in 1980 that has been serving the family camping industry for nearly 40 years. His company spe-cializes in building fully responsive websites, along with producing a full rangeoffour-colorprocessprint advertising, for clients from coast to coast.LearnmoreaboutPelland Advertising at https://pelland.com or see their ad in this issue. WCM 8 May 2022Woodalls Campground Magazine'