What are all the costs associated with EV chargers for businesses?

The costs for EV charging include:

• Charge point equipment
• Installation
• Maintenance
• Increased Electricity consumption
• Transaction fees
• SIM network fees (if applicable)
• Data services

An often-overlooked expense is the additional electricity costs to the business. You can manage this using our unique Analytics platform.

How much does it cost to install a business EV charger?

On average it ranges between £2,000-5,000 for the charge point and installation.

And up to March 2024, UK Government grants can help significantly reduce your infrastructure and charge point costs.

However, there are lots of variations depending on your set-up at the site and choices of installation.

For example:

• Type of charger: 7kW, 11kW & 22kW, single or double sockets and either pole or wall mounted.
• Complexity of the install
• Site works
• New electrical infrastructure

What site works do I need to consider?

Site works can often cost more than installing the actual charge points. Costs can increase if the chargers are far away from the building.

We advise during our survey if site works are needed, and if there are better places on site to install the chargers to reduce costs.

We’ll also look at ways to futureproof your site works so it’s more cost-effective to upgrade capacity if you decide to add more chargers in years to come.

Other factors affecting site work costs: 

• The type of ground that needs to be excavated (earth/soft ground, paving slabs, tarmac etc)
• Debris storage and removal
• Reinstatement (filling the holes, and your preferred finish)
• Health and safety equipment (trench covers and barriers)
• Plant (diggers and dumpers)
• Trunking (tubes or protection for electrical cables)

You should also consider any costs that might be associated with entering the building, such as core drilling or panel removal. 

How much does maintenance cost for an EV charger?

With Stark, you typically pay £90 per socket each year for maintenance which covers remote and on-site fixes. The costs also help cover the administrative costs for driver help centres. 

How much are drivers charged for using EV chargers?

EV drivers usually pay a small connection fee per charging session plus the pence per kilowatt cost to charge the vehicle.  

The average price for public charging as of June 2023 is 49p/kWh on slow/fast chargers and 75p/kWh on rapid chargers, but this will vary around the UK. 

Businesses should consider their local public charging rates when setting prices for employees or customers.

 Can I make money from my EV charger?

Yes, it’s possible to generate revenue from your EV charger by setting the p/kWh charging fee.  

However, profits depend on factors like local demand, pricing strategy compared to other local charge points, electricity costs, and maintenance expenses. 

If you set prices too high, then drivers may be tempted to use alternative charging stations. 

Stark can help advise on the costs of other charge points in your local area. 

We’ll also manage all your tariff settings as part of our fully managed service.

Can companies charge employees for EV charging?

Yes, employers can charge for EV charging at the workplace.

Charging fees can help cover operational costs and encourage fair usage of charging resources. 

With Stark Charge, you can also set multiple tariffs for different user groups.

At Stark our employees pay less for charging than members of the public who can use our office charge points. This is a great initiative to encourage EV uptake in our company. 

Who decides how much to charge EV drivers?

Yes, it’s possible to generate revenue from your EV charger by setting the p/kWh charging fee.  

The p/kWh price to charge is set by the owner of the charge points – either the business itself (where chargers are purchased or leased) or the Charge Point Operator (where chargers have been fully funded). 

• If you’re buying or leasing your charge points, then you can control whether you offer free or paid charging and set the rates. 
• If you’re using a fully funded model, you lose that flexibility in favour of no upfront costs for the installation. 

Can I have a site survey to find out the cost to install EV chargers?

Yes, it’s essential.

We provide a free survey with a fully itemised quotation so you can understand what’s needed to get your business moving forward with EV charging and a sustainable future.  

And because we also provide site works and any electricity connections, we can handle those too.  

Keep it easy and simple no matter what your site needs.