Business EV Charger ROI Calculator
Estimate payback on installing public EV chargers for a business from capital cost, sessions and pricing.
What does the undefined do?
It estimates the payback on installing public EV chargers for a business, from capital cost, utilization, pricing and energy cost.
- Inputs: the number of chargers, cost per charger and installation, sessions per day, energy per session, price and energy cost per kWh, and operating days.
- Output: the payback period, annual gross profit and the capital employed.
- Method: energy delivered times the price margin, with payback from capital divided by annual gross profit.
Quick answer
Four chargers costing 40,000 installed, running six sessions a day of 30 kWh at a 0.30 a unit margin, generate about 75,600 a year and pay back in roughly half a year if utilization holds.
What This Calculator Really Does
Public EV charging can be a strong business case when sites are busy and the price margin is healthy. The economics are simple at the core: each session delivers energy, and the difference between what you charge and what the energy costs you is gross profit. This tool multiplies utilization, energy per session and the margin to get annual gross profit, then divides the capital cost by that profit for the payback period. Utilization is the whole game. A charger that sees six sessions a day looks excellent; the same hardware at one session a day may never pay back, and idle chargers still cost money to maintain and connect. Demand charges, network fees, maintenance, credit-card fees and the cost of the site work all sit outside the simple model, so treat the result as an optimistic case. Model a low, medium and high utilization scenario before committing capital.
The formula it uses
Sessions = chargers x sessions per day x operating days. Energy = sessions x kWh per session. Gross profit = energy x (price per kWh minus cost per kWh). Payback = (chargers x cost per charger + install total) / gross profit.
Worked example with real numbers
Four chargers at 5,000 each plus 20,000 of installation is 40,000 of capital. Six sessions a day of 30 kWh across 350 days is 25,200 sessions and 756,000 kWh. At a 0.30 a unit margin that is 226,800 gross profit, giving a payback of well under a year on these assumptions.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming high utilization without checking traffic and dwell time at the site.
- Ignoring demand charges and network fees, which can consume much of the margin.
- Forgetting maintenance, warranty replacement and payment processing costs.
Assumptions and limitations
Utilization, price and energy cost are held constant, and maintenance, demand charges, network fees, card fees and site works are excluded. The result is an optimistic case at the entered utilization.
Disclaimer
This is an educational business estimate, not financial advice. EV charging economics depend heavily on site traffic, tariffs and local rules, so build a full business case before investing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is the undefined calculated?
Utilization is multiplied out to annual energy, the margin per kWh gives gross profit, and capital divided by gross profit gives payback. The steps panel lists each figure.
What do I need to use the undefined?
The number of chargers, cost per charger, installation total, sessions per day, energy per session, price and energy cost per kWh, and operating days a year.
What does the result from the undefined show?
The payback period in years, annual gross profit and the capital employed, before maintenance and fees.
How many sessions a day does a charger need to pay back?
It depends on the capital and margin, but utilization is decisive. Model a low case: if the site cannot keep utilization up, the payback stretches out or disappears.
What costs are missing from this model?
Demand charges, network and software fees, card processing, maintenance, insurance and the site electrical upgrade. These can take a large bite out of gross profit.
Is the undefined really free?
Yes — 100 percent free, no sign-up, and everything runs in your browser.
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