If your Edmonton business has an EV charger in the parking lot and no sign advertising it, you’re sitting on a customer acquisition tool that’s doing nothing for you. Electric vehicle adoption in Alberta is accelerating, and every EV driver needs to charge somewhere. The question is whether they’ll know your business is an option.
The EV Numbers in Alberta
Alberta is often written off as oil country that will never go electric. The numbers tell a different story.
As of 2026, Alberta has over 50,000 registered electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with registrations growing at roughly 40% year-over-year. Edmonton and Calgary account for the majority of those vehicles. The Alberta government and the City of Edmonton have both expanded public charging infrastructure, but the demand consistently outpaces the supply.
That gap is your opportunity. Every EV driver who charges at your location spends 20 to 45 minutes waiting. That’s 20 to 45 minutes of potential spending inside your restaurant, shop, or waiting room.
Why Signage Makes the Difference
Having an EV charger is one thing. Making sure people know about it is another.
EV Drivers Plan Their Stops
Unlike gas vehicles, EV drivers often plan their routes around charging locations. They check apps like ChargePoint, FLO, and PlugShare before they leave home. But here’s what the apps don’t do: they don’t tell drivers that your restaurant has great food, that your coffee shop has a warm patio, or that your retail store is running a sale.
A visible sign does. A driver who sees “EV Charging Available” on your street-facing sign while passing by will pull in even if they didn’t plan to. That’s an impulse stop that turns into a purchase.
Most EV Charger Locations Have No Signage
Drive around Edmonton and look at the businesses with EV chargers. Most of them have a small sticker on the charger itself and nothing else. No street-level signage, no mention on their storefront, no directional signs in the parking lot.
This means the charger only gets used by people who already found it on an app. Every driver who passes by without knowing it’s there is a missed customer.
Signage Builds Perception
Even for people who don’t drive electric vehicles yet, EV charger signage signals that your business is forward-thinking and environmentally aware. That perception matters, especially with younger demographics who increasingly factor sustainability into their purchasing decisions.
What Kind of Signage Works
Not all signs serve the same purpose. For EV charger advertising, you need up to three types working together.
Street-Level Signs
This is the most important one. A portable billboard sign or a permanent monument sign visible from the road should include a clear “EV Charging” message alongside your business name and main offering. The goal is to catch drivers on the road and give them a reason to turn in.
For businesses on busy Edmonton corridors like Whyte Avenue, Jasper Avenue, 111 Avenue, or Gateway Boulevard, a street-level sign with an EV charging message can pull in traffic that would otherwise drive past.
A double-sided portable sign at $149/month is one of the lowest-cost ways to get that roadside visibility. It’s especially effective for restaurants, cafes, and retail stores where the charger is a draw, not the main business.
Directional Signs in Your Parking Lot
Once a driver turns in, they need to find the charger. A small directional sign (or painted arrows on the pavement) pointing to the charging spots eliminates confusion. This is especially important for larger parking lots shared with other businesses.
Include your business name on the directional sign. If the charger is behind your building or on the far side of a shared lot, the sign is the only thing connecting the charging experience to your business.
Storefront and Window Signs
A window decal or door sign that says “EV Charging Available” with an arrow or charger icon rounds out the signage. It confirms to the driver that they’re in the right place, and it’s visible to every pedestrian who walks by.
Where to Place Your Signs
Placement matters as much as the sign itself. Here’s where each type works best in a typical Edmonton setup.
Street-Facing Sign
Place it as close to the road as your property and City of Edmonton sign bylaws allow. The sign should be readable from a vehicle moving at the posted speed limit. For a 50 km/h road, that means large text and high contrast. Don’t try to cram your entire menu onto a sign that needs to be read in two seconds.
Edmonton’s portable sign regulations allow placement on private property, and some locations qualify for City-approved spots near the roadway. If you’re unsure what’s allowed for your location, your sign provider should be able to advise.
Charger-Adjacent Sign
Place it within direct line of sight from the charger. The driver should see your business name and a welcome message (or a promotion) while they’re plugging in. “Charge your car. Grab a coffee. On us with any meal over $20.” That kind of sign turns a charging stop into a sale.
Building Entrance
Your entrance sign or window sign should be visible from the parking lot. An EV driver who just plugged in and is looking for somewhere to spend the next 30 minutes will scan the nearby businesses. Make sure yours stands out.
How to Get Listed on Charging Apps
Signage covers the physical side. Don’t ignore the digital side.
If your charger is connected to a network like FLO, ChargePoint, or Tesla, it’s likely already listed in those apps. But you should check and make sure your business name, hours, and amenities are correct. Most charging apps let business owners add details like “restaurant on-site,” “free Wi-Fi,” or “washrooms available.”
If your charger is not on a network (a standalone Level 2 charger, for example), you can manually add it to PlugShare, which is the most widely used crowd-sourced charging directory. Include your business name and a photo of your location.
Also add your EV charger to your Google Business Profile. Google Maps shows EV charging stations, and you can add it as an attribute to your listing.
The Math on EV Charger Signage
Let’s run a simple scenario.
You’re an Edmonton restaurant with a Level 2 charger. Without signage, the charger gets used by the handful of people who find it on an app. Maybe five charging sessions a week.
You add a street-level sign advertising your restaurant and the EV charger. Now you’re also catching drive-by EV traffic. That might add another five to ten sessions per week. Each of those drivers spends 20-40 minutes at your restaurant, and the average lunch or coffee order is $15-25.
An extra five customers per week at $20 average is $400/month in new revenue. A portable sign costs $149/month. The charger was already there.
The sign pays for itself before the second week of the month.
Who Should Do This
Any Edmonton business with an EV charger that depends on local customer traffic:
- Restaurants and cafes where charging time equals dining time
- Hotels and motels where overnight charging is a selling point for travelers on Highway 2 or Highway 16
- Shopping centres and retail where charging keeps customers browsing longer
- Dental offices, clinics, and salons where appointment length overlaps with charge time
- Gas stations and convenience stores that have added chargers alongside pumps
If you have a charger and no sign, you’re leaving money on the table. And if you’re thinking about adding a charger, factor the signage into your plan from day one.
Next Steps
Check whether your EV charger is visible from the road. Walk out to the sidewalk or the nearest driving lane and look back at your business. If you can’t tell there’s a charger there, neither can anyone else.
Then talk to your sign provider about adding an EV charging message. If you don’t have a sign yet, OnePoint Solutions can set one up for $149/month, designed and installed, with messaging that highlights your charger alongside your core business.
EV adoption isn’t slowing down in Edmonton. The businesses that advertise their chargers now will own that customer base before the competition catches on.