RELATED: Should hotel EV charging be free for guests?
The Three Models, Side by Side
| Model | How it works | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Free amenity | Sockets open to guests, cost absorbed like WiFi | B&Bs, boutique hotels, premium positioning |
| Per kWh tariff | 30 to 50p per kWh, contactless or app payment at the charger | Most hotels, pubs, leisure venues |
| On the room bill | Session starts with room key or reception code, billed at checkout | Full service hotels wanting one folio |
A middle rate around 35 to 40p per kWh reads fair against public charging, comfortably beats motorway rapids from the guest’s seat, and clears your supply cost with margin. Overpricing is the mistake to avoid, EV drivers know the going rates and say so in reviews.
How the Billing Actually Happens
The charging platform does the work. Guests tap a bank card or scan a code, the session bills itself, and you receive a monthly statement and payout, no one at reception handles money. Room bill integration goes through the same platform with access tied to the stay.
Staff and guests can carry different rates on the same sockets, free or discounted for the team, tariff for guests, and workplace charging for staff carries no benefit in kind tax. Out of hours you can open the same sockets to the public at a third rate, which is where car parks earn in the quiet months.
RELATED: Can hotels make money from EV charging?
What We Set Up at Handover
Tariffs configured per user group, payment live and tested, idle fees if you want bays turning over, and the reporting your bookkeeper needs. Changing prices later is a settings screen, not a call out.
