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Revenue by Charger Type
Rapid chargers rated at 50kW and above are the biggest earners. At 30% to 50% utilisation, a single rapid unit generates £6,000 to £12,000 per year. Sites with consistent traffic from retail, leisure, or commuter routes regularly hit the higher end. The best performing rapid locations report £12,000 to £18,000 annually.
Fast chargers rated at 7 to 22kW earn less per unit but cost significantly less to install. Annual revenue sits between £2,000 and £5,000 depending on location and dwell time. They work well at destination venues where drivers charge over longer visits.
The UK network average across all public chargers is around £3,195 per unit per year. That figure includes underperforming locations and newly installed chargers still building usage. Well sited chargers in busy areas consistently beat that average.
What Drives Revenue
Location matters most. Sites with high footfall, good visibility, and easy access see the highest utilisation. Retail parks, leisure centres, motorway adjacent locations, and busy town centre car parks perform best.
Pricing affects returns too. As of December 2025, UK public charging averages 54p per kWh for fast chargers and 77p per kWh for rapid chargers. Wholesale electricity costs for commercial sites typically sit between 25p and 35p per kWh depending on contract terms. The margin between those figures is your operating profit before overheads.
Charger mix also plays a role. Sites that combine a few rapid chargers for quick top ups with a larger number of fast chargers for longer stays tend to maximise both revenue and utilisation across different driver needs.
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Payback Periods
Rapid charger installations typically pay back in 3 to 5 years at well trafficked sites. Fast charger installations take 4 to 7 years. These figures assume client funded ownership where you keep 100% of the revenue. Utilisation patterns typically build over 12 to 24 months after installation, so early returns may be lower before the site reaches maturity.
For fully funded installations through EV-ME, there is no payback period because there is no upfront cost. Revenue sharing starts from day one.
Tax Benefits
Eligible public EV chargepoints and EV only forecourts qualify for 100% business rates relief for 10 years. This was confirmed in the 2025 Budget and is estimated to be worth approximately £1 billion to the sector over the period. The relief applies to charging equipment that meets government technical and operational standards.
EV charging infrastructure may also qualify for 100% first year allowances on capital expenditure, providing immediate tax relief on investment costs. A site that claims business rates relief and uses capital allowances significantly improves its financial return.
