Bath EV charging: where do hotels fit the network?

Bath accommodation sites should compare overnight charging with the wider council network before buying equipment. The supplied extract lists 21 town sites on Open Charge Map [S1]. That is a community listing, not the official total. A hotel can test guest demand against the ownership and revenue-share illustrations below, allowing separately for its connection costs. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 17 October 2026

How does Bath fit within the council’s charging network?

Bath’s supplied built-up-area population is 94,080, approximately 47% of Bath and North East Somerset’s population in the comparison [S2] [S3]. The supplied council extract shows 179 public chargers, including 35 rapid, on 1 July 2026 [S4]. These figures frame a hotel proposal, but cannot establish demand at your entrance.

Start with the Bath and North East Somerset council overview and the South West regional page. Council coverage includes destinations outside Bath. An accommodation business should compare its guest journey with nearby parking options, rather than treating the council’s installed devices as a count of competing hotels.

What charging supply is listed inside Bath?

The town snapshot has 21 public charging sites listed on Open Charge Map, 70 devices and 5 rapid sites. Using the Census population gives 2.2 sites and 7.4 devices per 10,000 residents [S1] [S2] [S3]. Open Charge Map is community-maintained and lists fewer points than DfT’s council count. The supplied extract could not be reproduced from its live map today; this is a snapshot, not a statement that every listed device is available.

Visit Bath identifies Charlotte Street as a charging location and encourages visitors to consider Park & Ride instead of driving into the centre [S10]. Those are different choices from leaving a car at your hotel overnight. Check whether guests actually need destination charging, a quick arrival top-up, or somewhere to park while exploring. Do not assume a public site count answers all those needs.

Does A36 traffic translate into hotel charging customers?

The supplied DfT road extract identifies the A36 as Bath’s busiest counted major road, with 21,414 vehicles a day in 2025 [S5]. This is a count at a road location, not unique visitors or electric vehicles. It cannot be multiplied by your tariff to estimate income.

The Roman Baths is a city-centre visitor attraction [S11]. A hotel serving visitors could therefore investigate charging while guests explore on foot. This is a site-selection hypothesis, not evidence of bookings gained. Record requests over quieter periods as well as busy weekends. Check arrival times, parking duration and how many guests have another charging option before selecting equipment.

What could a Bath hotel earn under each funding model?

Fully funded means a provider buys, owns and operates the chargers while your hotel supplies bays and receives a share. Part funded combines your contribution with provider capital. Self funded leaves ownership costs and operating risk with you. Compare contract duration, tariff control, maintenance and removal terms, not just share percentages. Use the site suitability tool before approaching installers.

Overnight charging example

This is an illustration, not a quote. kW means kilowatts of power; kWh means kilowatt-hours of energy. All operating inputs below are assumptions, with published installation ranges used only as a starting reference.

Middle-case workings: 2 × 20 × 365 = 14,600 kWh. Sales = 14,600 × £0.50 = £7,300. Surplus = 14,600 × £0.25 − £600 = £3,050. Fully funded host income = £7,300 × 10%. Part funded receives half the surplus and pays half the capital. Simple ROI = yearly net ÷ host capital × 100; payback = host capital ÷ yearly net. Outputs are rounded after calculation.

Groundworks, cable runs and connection are extra; the example assumes adequate existing power. It excludes tax, finance, business rates changes, land rent, major replacements and grants. Adding infrastructure costs lengthens payback. Ask your distribution network operator, or DNO, about capacity [S9], and revise the payback calculation using the complete survey price.

Which grants and approvals should a Bath hotel check?

Eligible workplace installations can receive up to £500 per socket until 31 March 2027 [S8]. Accommodation eligibility needs checking; do not subtract a grant from every public charging proposal. Obtain approval before installation. Check capital allowances with your accountant [S12].

Take your layout to the planning authority before ordering, particularly where access or the setting of buildings may be affected. Have your solicitor review lease length, liability, reinstatement and exit terms. A fully funded offer still needs a workable route through your car park and clear responsibility for driver support.

Public access requires a review of the charging regulations before commissioning [S13].

Next steps

Gather guest charging requests, parking restrictions and your electricity information, then get matched with an installer that covers your area. This service is operated by Piggy Pineapple Ltd. We refer enquiries to installer partners and may be paid a fee. Our owner holds shares in at least one partner; we name the proposed recipient and disclose any shareholding before passing on your details.