How do I price a charging service on my company's premises?

Electric transport is rapidly becoming more common, and the advantages of electric cars are particularly highlighted when charging can be done while parked. This reduces the need for separate quick-charging trips, except for longer journeys. In addition to home charging, workplace parking lots are key charging locations, as cars are often parked there for several hours.

In this blog, we discuss the challenges related to workplace charging solutions from a real estate perspective and provide tips on charging pricing.

Property ownership and charging costs

The need for charging electric cars arises from the needs of users, and in many cases the costs of charging are borne by the property owner. Especially on corporate campuses, the property company pays for the electricity, and parking space leases often include a heating pole with electricity. However, in the case of electric cars, it is necessary to be able to itemize and allocate the charging costs either directly to the user or their employer.

One common challenge in workplaces is unauthorized charging from heating poles. With the eTolppa system, heating usage can be limited so that heating is only possible when the weather is cold enough and even then for a set period of time. Alternatively, the property can implement a model where all electricity is billed to the users, which ensures fair treatment and simplifies administration.

Many companies want to offer their employees charging options as part of their sustainability strategy. The Tax Administration has announced that employer-provided charging electricity will not be a taxable benefit from 2021–2025, which will encourage companies to invest in charging solutions.

Regardless of the complexity of the arrangement, the eParking system enables the allocation of costs and invoicing to the right parties. The service covers invoicing, collection of payments and their settlement to the account specified by the property at agreed intervals. In addition, the system offers accounting-friendly reporting and the possibility to monitor consumption and optimize the use of heating electricity through energy saving and load management.

Electric car drivers can schedule charging and pay for the electricity used effortlessly with the eParking application.

Leased cars vs. employee-owned cars

The distribution of charging costs depends on the employer's operating model: is charging a benefit offered by the employer or does the user pay for the costs themselves? Especially in the case of leasing cars, it may be necessary to define clear principles on who is responsible for charging costs.

Smart operating services, such as eParking, enable flexible management of different user groups. The system can define different pricing and billing models, allowing the employer's benefits and the users' own costs to be separated.

Charging speed at workplaces

The average person spends about eight hours at work, but for some employees the workday consists of shorter periods or mobile work. The charging speed of an electric car is a key factor in terms of user convenience, and charging solutions should be designed based on parking behavior.

Installing charging stations that are too efficient can limit their number for budgetary reasons. This may result in not having enough charging points for everyone who wants to use them. On the other hand, insufficient charging capacity weakens the relevance of the service.

It is impractical for drivers to move their cars during the working day to free up a charging spot for the next user. It is also undesirable for employers to spend working time moving cars. According to Statistics Finland, the average Finnish commute is 14 km one way. Recharging the amount of energy needed during the working day therefore requires less than two hours with slow charging.

The solution is to provide enough charging points so that users can connect their cars to the charger right at the start of the working day. It is also worth reserving faster stations for shorter charging needs, for about 5-10 percent of all charging points. These should have a power of at least 11 kW. You can charge a higher price for the use of faster stations or apply per-minute pricing to ensure that they remain in rotational use. The total consumption of the property should also take into account power peaks, which can increase the total price of electricity.

Location of charging points

The location of charging points must take into account the size, shape and existing electrical infrastructure of the parking area. When planning new charging points, it is recommended to place them slightly further away from the main entrance, so that internal combustion engine vehicles do not accidentally take them. If the site already has thermal charging infrastructure, slow charging points can be installed by simply replacing the existing user interfaces with new ones. This allows for a cost-effective upgrade of the charging infrastructure without major structural changes.

Price of download

10-13 cents per kWh in 2021. Charging at workplaces should be affordable but profitable enough to cover costs. If charging is too expensive, users may prefer to charge at home, leaving workplace charging devices unused.

Faster charging stations can be charged at a higher rate, as users are willing to pay for the additional service. One recommended pricing model is to offer slow charging at a cost price and charge a premium for faster charging. This can encourage users to choose slower charging if they do not need fast start-up. See how this is implemented at Highway 30 .

Pricing models can be customized as needed. Options include kilowatt-hour pricing, time-based pricing (euro/hour), or a session start fee. If you want to increase the number of charging points during the workday, tiered pricing can be used, where the first few hours are cheaper and the price increases as the charging duration increases.