What Your Campground Needs to Be EV-Ready
The hum of the open road is changing, and the roar of internal combustion is steadily being replaced by the quiet, powerful glide of electric vehicles. This isn’t a distant future; it’s today’s reality. Global EV sales topped 17 million in 2024, up by 25% compared to the previous year. In the U.S., electric car sales reached 1.6 million in 2024, as EVs buoyed an otherwise stagnated conventional car market. A total of 24 new models were launched that same year, increasing model availability by 15% (International Energy Agency, 2025).
The electric revolution has reached the world of recreational vehicles. A growing wave of all-electric RVs, camper vans, and electrified adventure trailers are hitting the highways, creating a new and discerning class of travelers seeking destinations that can power their journey.
While the EV charging requirements present a challenge, it also presents a pivotal business opportunity.
The Modern Traveler’s "Life Hack": An EV-Ready Campsite
For modern day travel, convenience is king. To an EV or electric RV owner, finding a reliable charging station is as crucial as finding a level spot to park for a smooth camping experience. Imagine the appeal of a destination where they can park their rig, plug in overnight, and wake up to a fully charged vehicle, ready for the next day’s adventure. It eliminates “range anxiety,” the persistent fear of running out of power far from a charging point.
By offering this seamless experience, you transform your property from a simple stopover into an indispensable part of their travel ecosystem. You are no longer just providing a scenic view; you are providing the very fuel that powers their entire vacation.
“Campgrounds and RV parks with an EV charging station is every modern traveler’s life hack. Charge your vehicle and enjoy great amenities for less than a hotel’s price.”
What “EV-Ready” Means (and Why 14-50 Outlets aren’t Enough)
According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), to be EV ready, a business needs to install clearly identified and reserved electrical vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) in 5% of all parking spaces or at least two spaces, whichever is greater. The EVSE must provide a Level 2 charging capacity (208 – 240 volts) or greater for each required space. The EVSE must also comply with the relevant regional or local standard for electrical connectors, such as Society of Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772. And all of these must meet the connected functionality criteria for ENERGY STAR certified EVSE and be capable of responding to time-of-use market signals like price (USGBC, n.d.)
Minimum technical stack for a campground/RV park:
1. 240-volt level 2 outlets – what most people use to charge their cars in workplaces, public locations, and at home. Operates at 240V AC, supplying between 3.6 – 22 kW, and can provide approximately 25 miles of range per hour of charging. An overnight or 8 hours of charging can add up to 200 miles of range for the next day’s adventure.
2. Accessible design – follow the U.S. Access Board’s EV charging accessibility guidance for stall dimensions, routes, reach ranges, and operable parts (U.S. Access Board, 2023).
3. Connectors that cover 100% of guests – provide J3400/2-compliant chargers. This new standard for North American Charging System (NACS), released by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), defines the physical architectural and mechanical specifications of the EV connector and inlet, enabling safer and faster electric vehicle charging across the U.S. (SAE, 2025).
4. Networked & billable – choose Open Charge Point Protocol/OCPP-compatible chargers so you’re not locked to one vendor, and so you can meter energy, show real-time session costs, set idle fees, and push receipts automatically (Driivz, n.d.)
5. List & route – publish chargers on Google Maps, PlugShare and similar apps so road-trippers discover you even if they aren’t overnighting. Many will still book a cabin to “charge and chill.”
6. Invest in DC Fast Chargers (DCFC) or level 3 outlets – these outlets operate between 400 – 1000V AC, supplying 50kW and above. While a much larger investment, a DCFC can charge a vehicle to 80% in as little as 15-60 minutes (ChargeHub, n.d.). Installing one or two of these near your entrance can attract transient EV drivers just passing through, creating a new revenue stream from non-guests.
Preparing your business to be EV-ready (Practical Checklist)
1. Electrical & site planning
- Load study and panel capacity check; consider a dedicated EV subpanel with spare breakers for future ports.
- Trenching & conduit: Oversize conduit now (cheap) to avoid re-digging later.
- Dynamic load management in your charger software to prevent peak-demand surprises (Phihong, 2024).
2. Hardware selection and costs
- Level 2 dual-port pedestals near cabins and glamping units;
- DCFC or level 3 port only if you’re a highway-adjacent stop targeting pass-through traffic.
- Costs- public chargers are approximately $3,500 per connector for Level 2 and $38,000 to $90,000 per connector for DCFC, with higher costs depending on power output (U.S. Department of Energy, 2025). Also consider the costs associated with the required charging needs, including equipment, installation, operation and maintenance (electricity, demand charges, and any annual charging network fees).
3. Software & billing
Pick an OCPP network so you can:
- Set per-kWh or time-based pricing (per-kWh is required in states like California; parking/idle fees may be added separately),
- Authorize guests by QR/RFID,
- Separately bill day-use drivers, and
- Export reports for your PMS/accounting (Chargepoint.com, 2023)
4. Accessibility, signage & guest comms
- Mark stalls clearly, provide wayfinding, publish hours/fees, and set idle-fee rules that keep ports turning without annoying overnighters (Chargepoint.com, 2023).
5. Incentives & financing
- The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit (Code § 30C) can offset costs – up to 30% (max $100,000 per item) in qualifying tracts, with different rates/eligibility under the Inflation Reduction Act; check your census tract and documentation details. Utilities may also fund make-ready work (IRS, n.d.).
Upgrading Cabins and Cottages: Delight EV Guests (and Protect Your Infrastructure)
For cabins and cottages, specify:
- Dedicated 40–60 A circuits (208/240 V) to outdoor-rated Level-2 pedestals with cable management.
- Mounting & protection: concrete pads, bollards, and drip-loop cable routing.
- Smart metering at the charger (not the cabin) so charging bills separately from lodging.\
- Connector mix: J1772 plus J3400 (NACS) leads, or universal wall connectors that natively support both. (This is the path Hilton is taking across thousands of hotels for overnight destination charging.)
The Vacavia Advantage: Vacavia’s park-model cabins and cottages are fully customizable – including pre-wiring, panel sizing, conduit paths, pedestal placement, and networked/OCPP charger integration, so you can launch EV-ready units on day one and scale to an entire row or loop as demand grows.
The EV Advantage: More Bookings, Higher Average Daily Rate (ADR), & Brand Advantage
Capture a Growing Filter
A meaningful share of campers drive EVs and filter for “EV charging” when booking. KOA’s data show EV ownership among campers well above the national average—and the company is actively adding L2 charging to properties. This is a clear amenity arms race across outdoor hospitality (KOA, n.d.).
Beat Range Anxiety with Destination Charging
Overnight L2 perfectly matches dwell time, removing the need for DC fast-charge stops—and making your property the convenient, low-stress choice (KOA, n.d.).
Serve Travelers who Must Use Public Charging
Renters and guests without home charging rely heavily on public/destination infrastructure – 4–16% of U.S. EV drivers with detached houses use public charging, 31–81% for drivers who do not have access to private or semi-private parking facilities (Yu et al., 2025). This is precisely what you offer.
Final Thoughts
EVs are now mainstream in American drive-to travel, and electric RVs/e-trailers are arriving. Guests who can sleep while they charge choose properties that publish EV charging clearly and price it fairly. The playbook is proven across hospitality: install reliable Level-2 where people linger, make it easy to pay, and tell the world you’ve got it.
If you’re building or upgrading units, Vacavia’s customizable park-model cabins and cottages make it simple to embed EV-ready infrastructure today – and scale as demand grows. The result is more bookings, happier guests, and a durable, data-driven edge.
References:
International Energy Agency (IEA). (2025). Trends in electric car markets. https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2025/trends-in-electric-car-markets-2
United States Green Building Council (USGBC). (n.d.) Electric Vehicles- Location and Transportation. https://www.usgbc.org/credits/new-construction-core-and-shell-retail-new-construction-data-centers-new-construction-1?return=%2Fcredits%2FNew%20Construction%2Fv4.1
U.S. Access Board. (2023). Design Recommendations for Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. https://www.access-board.gov/tad/ev/
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). (2025). North American Charging System (NACS) for Electric Vehicles. https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j3400_202409/
Driivz. (n.d.). What is Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)? https://driivz.com/glossary/open-charge-point-protocol-ocpp/
ChargeHub. (n.d.). Guide On How To Charge Your Electric Car with Charging Stations. https://chargehub.com/en/electric-car-charging-guide.html
Phihong. (2024). Smart EV Charging Infrastructure for Commercial Properties: How OEMs Can Build Scalable, Network-Ready Solutions. https://www.phihong.com/smart-ev-charging-infrastructure-for-commercial-properties-how-oems-can-build-scalable-network-ready-solutions/
U.S. Department of Energy. (2025). Procurement and Installation for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure. https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity-infrastructure-development
Chargepoint.com. (2023). Does ChargePoint have idle fees? https://www.chargepoint.com/drivers/support/faqs/does-chargepoint-have-idle-fees?srsltid=AfmBOop0v3XM2hrrEh_5v6s-UtlNtOS7LOiQk8d9e9SbQAI74tYmLejy
Internal Revenue Service (IRS). (n.d.). Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit. https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/alternative-fuel-vehicle-refueling-property-credit
Kampgrounds of America (KOA). (n.d.). Electric Vehicle Charging at KOA. https://koa.com/ev/
Yu, Q., Que, T., Cushing, L.J. et al. Equity and reliability of public electric vehicle charging stations in the United States. Nat Commun 16, 5291 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60091-y