Commercial EV Charging as Infrastructure: Load, Panels and Where the Revenue Comes From
The charger is the cheap part. The panel, the trench and the demand charge decide whether EV charging earns money or quietly costs it.
Start with capacity, not chargers
Every charger draws power from a panel that was sized for the building as it was. Before choosing hardware, check:
- Service and panel capacity at the parking area. See electrical service upgrades.
- The distance and route from the panel to the spaces. Trenching and conduit often cost more than the chargers.
- The tariff. Several chargers starting at once can set a new demand peak for the month.
Level 2 or DC fast
- Level 2 suits places where cars park for hours: apartments, offices, hotels. Lower cost per port and lower load per port.
- DC fast suits short stops: retail, fleets, highway sites. Much higher load, which usually needs a service upgrade and careful demand management.
Most multifamily and workplace sites are Level 2 sites.
Load management keeps the bill flat
Networked chargers can share a fixed amount of capacity, slowing each car when many are plugged in. That lets more ports run on the same service and keeps the peak under control. A battery can do the same job from the building side.
Make-ready now, ports later
Running conduit and capacity to more spaces than you equip today is far cheaper than trenching twice. Install ports as demand grows.
Who pays and who earns
- Owner-operated: the property sets a charging price and keeps the margin over the energy cost.
- Included in rent or parking: an amenity that supports leasing and retention.
- Third-party operated: a provider installs and runs the chargers and shares revenue or pays rent for the spaces.
Pairing chargers with rooftop solar lets the property sell its own energy to the cars parked below it. See EV charging and solar for multifamily.
Incentives
Many utilities and states fund make-ready work or charger hardware. Programs, eligibility and amounts change often; confirm what is open for your territory before the design is final.
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