When selecting electric vehicle charging infrastructure for your hotel, restaurant, or hospitality venue, one crucial decision will shape your operations for years to come. Should you choose tethered chargers (which have cables permanently attached) or untethered ones (where guests use their own cables)? At VoltShare, we consistently recommend untethered systems for hospitality businesses, and here's why this choice makes financial sense.

The Hidden Costs of Attached Cables

Running a hospitality business means dealing with constant wear and tear from unfamiliar guests. Unlike at home where people treat equipment carefully, your charging cables face a different reality. Guests rushing to check out might leave cables dragging across car park surfaces, or forget to return them to their holders properly.

Weather presents another challenge entirely. Cables left exposed to British rain, frost, and UV rays deteriorate quickly when they're not stored correctly. We've seen cables damaged by delivery lorries, cleaning equipment, and unfortunately, even deliberate vandalism.

The most common cable damage issues include:

• Cables run over by vehicles in busy car parks
• Weather damage from prolonged exposure to elements
• Wear from being dragged across rough surfaces

With untethered chargers, these headaches disappear. Your guests bring their own cables, meaning you're no longer liable for expensive repairs or replacements.

Serving Every Type of Electric Vehicle

Your car park likely hosts an incredible variety of electric vehicles. A businessman might arrive in his BMW i4, whilst a family could be driving their Renault Zoe. Each vehicle potentially requires a different type of connector.

Tethered systems lock you into one cable type, potentially turning away guests whose vehicles aren't compatible. That's lost revenue and frustrated customers who might not return. Untethered chargers solve this problem elegantly.

Planning for Tomorrow's Technology

The electric vehicle market moves incredibly fast. New connector standards emerge regularly, and vehicle manufacturers continue innovating. What works perfectly today might be outdated in three years' time.

Untethered systems future-proof your investment. When new vehicle types arrive, your infrastructure adapts without requiring complete replacement. Your charging points remain relevant as technology advances.

Key advantages for hospitality businesses:

• Lower long-term maintenance costs
• Universal compatibility with all vehicle types

Making the Right Choice for Your Business

We offer both tethered and untethered options because we understand every business has unique requirements. However, our experience consistently shows that hospitality clients benefit more from untethered systems.

The initial convenience of attached cables simply doesn't outweigh the long-term costs and limitations. Your guests are already accustomed to carrying charging cables – it's part of owning an electric vehicle.

By choosing untethered charging solutions, you're investing in reliability, flexibility, and guest satisfaction. Your charging infrastructure becomes a genuine asset rather than a maintenance burden.