What does fully funded EV charging mean for your business?

Fully funded EV charging means a provider pays for, installs, owns and operates the equipment while your site supplies space and agreed access. Compare the host payment with the property commitment and any retained costs. The UK had 121,171 public EV chargers on 1 July 2026 [S1]; that national total does not establish demand at your site. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 16 October 2026

What is fully funded EV charging?

Under this model, the provider pays for the equipment and installation, then owns and operates it. You supply land or parking bays and receive a revenue share or agreed rent. The attraction is avoiding charger capital spending. The commercial question is what you give up in access, control and future use of your site.

There is a substantial public network: DfT counted 121,171 public chargers on 1 July 2026 [S1]. This is context, not evidence that your particular car park will attract enough paid sessions. Before asking for funding, describe why people would charge at your site, when they arrive and how long they stay.

For a hotel, that may mean charging during an overnight stay. For a café, the proposal needs to fit a shorter visit. Keep any expected shop or room sales outside the charger income forecast until you can measure their additional contribution. See why install charging.

Is EV charging free?

Separate the provider’s investment from the host’s costs and the driver’s bill. Ask for a schedule that names who pays for each stage and each recurring service. Do not accept a broad funding description as the answer.

If your site supplies energy, require a metering and reimbursement method. A host share paid after an unpaid electricity bill is a different proposition from a share with all energy costs covered. Ask about damage, insurance excesses, parking enforcement and driver complaints too.

How do fully funded EV chargers compare with buying?

The following is an illustration, not a quote. It deliberately uses the same destination-site assumptions as the ROI guide so you can compare the funding choices. None is an observed provider offer or a claim about normal usage.

Kilowatts (kW) measure power. Kilowatt-hours (kWh) measure energy. Annual energy = daily sessions × 20 × 365. At mid use this is 14,600 kWh. Sales = 14,600 × £0.50 = £7,300. Operating net = £7,300 − (14,600 × £0.25) − £800 − (£7,300 × 3%) = £2,631. Fully funded host income = £7,300 × 10% = £730. Part funded host net = £2,631 × 60% = £1,578.60.

Simple ROI = host annual net ÷ host capital × 100. Payback = host capital ÷ host annual net. Ranges use the capital endpoints. No grant, VAT, tax, financing, rates, insurance, host labour or replacement provision is included. In funded examples, assume the provider covers operating bills before the stated payment to the host. Deduct retained host costs from any actual proposal. Check with your accountant.

There is no host capital payback calculation for fully funded in this illustration. Instead, compare the yearly income range with the parking commitment. A provider may decline this assumed project or offer different terms.

What does your site need before installation?

Supply a parking plan, access hours, existing electricity information and an account of your visitors. Ask your distribution network operator (DNO) for the connection assessment through the proposed project team. UK Power Networks confirms that connection scope affects costs and timing [S2]. Avoid agreeing an opening date before the connection position is understood.

Ask for accessible routes and usable cable positions on the drawing. Have the installer identify planning and other permissions for the actual works. For public charging, establish the responsible operator and applicable duties under the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 [S3]. Check with your solicitor.

What should you check before accepting funding?

Request the proposed lease term, development period and any exclusivity before commissioning your legal review. Ask your solicitor about redevelopment, lender and landlord consent, assignment, insolvency, liability and exit costs. Ask who restores the site if the installation closes. Do not assume funding removes property obligations.

Compare business-rates responsibility and insurance with the host-income table. Ask for the reporting and audit rights explained in the revenue-share guide. A share you cannot reconcile is difficult to assess, however attractive the percentage looks.

Next step

Bring your site plan and questions to get matched with an installer that covers your area. Piggy Pineapple Ltd operates this referral service. We refer enquiries to installer partners and may be paid a fee. Our owner holds shares in at least one partner. Before passing on your details, we name the proposed partner and disclose whether our owner holds shares in it. See how we work.