Charging revenue benchmarks are reference metrics used to estimate and compare how much income an EV charging point can generate over time. They help CPOs (charge point operators), site hosts, fleet managers, and investors evaluate charger profitability, forecast cash flow, and validate whether a location is performing as expected based on utilization, tariffs, and energy delivered.
What Are Charging Revenue Benchmarks?
Charging revenue benchmarks are standardized performance indicators that translate charging activity into financial outcomes. They typically answer questions like:
– How much revenue does a charger generate per day/month/year?
– How much revenue comes from energy (kWh) versus session fees or subscriptions?
– What revenue level is “healthy” for a given charger type (AC vs DC) and site type (retail, workplace, highway, fleet depot)?
Benchmarks are used for site selection, business case modeling, and portfolio performance comparisons across regions and operator networks.
Why Charging Revenue Benchmarks Matter
Revenue benchmarks are essential because EV charging economics are driven by a few variables that change widely by location and strategy. Without benchmarks, it is easy to overestimate income and underestimate payback time.
For commercial deployments, benchmarks support:
– CAPEX recovery planning and ROI assessment
– Negotiating revenue share agreements with landlords and site hosts
– Comparing performance across markets, tariff models, and charger power levels
– Identifying underperforming stations that need pricing, uptime, or visibility improvements
They also help align internal teams by giving Sales, Finance, and Operations a shared definition of “good performance.”
Core Metrics Used in Revenue Benchmarking
Most charging revenue benchmarks are built from a small set of measurable KPIs:
– Utilization rate (how often the charger is actively delivering energy)
– Energy delivered (kWh per day/month)
– Sessions per day (transaction volume)
– Average session size (kWh per session)
– Average price (€/kWh and/or €/session)
– Uptime (availability and fault-free operation)
– Gross margin (revenue minus electricity cost, roaming fees, payment fees)
Strong benchmarks link technical performance (like uptime and charger utilization) to financial results.
How Charging Revenue Is Typically Calculated
A simple benchmark model often follows this logic:
– Revenue from energy = kWh delivered × price per kWh
– Revenue from sessions = sessions × session fee (if used)
– Subscription revenue = active subscribers × monthly fee (if applicable)
– Total revenue = energy revenue + session revenue + subscription revenue
For more accurate benchmarking, operators also track:
– Electricity purchase cost (fixed tariff, spot pricing, demand charges where applicable)
– Roaming costs and platform fees
– Payment processing and service costs
– O&M costs tied to utilization and hardware wear
Factors That Strongly Influence Revenue Benchmarks
Charging revenue benchmarks vary because site conditions and strategy matter more than charger hardware alone. Key drivers include:
– Location type (workplace, retail, public destination, highway corridor, fleet depot)
– Dwell time and parking behavior (short stops vs long stays)
– Pricing strategy (€/kWh vs time-based vs hybrid pricing)
– Roaming exposure and roaming commission structure
– Power level and throughput potential (e.g., 11 kW AC vs 22 kW AC vs DC fast charging)
– Grid constraints and load management that may cap delivered energy
– Reliability and uptime, which directly impact chargeable sessions
For AC-focused locations, revenue often depends on steady, repeat usage and strong site access rather than peak power.
Using Benchmarks for Business Case and Payback
Revenue benchmarks are commonly used to estimate payback time and long-term viability:
– Estimate revenue range (conservative / expected / optimistic)
– Apply operating costs to find expected gross profit
– Compare gross profit to installed cost to model CAPEX recovery
Benchmarks are most valuable when they are segmented by:
– Country or utility region
– Charger type (AC EV charger vs DC fast charger)
– Site archetype (hotel, office, supermarket, municipal parking)
This prevents misleading comparisons between fundamentally different use cases.
Common Pitfalls When Comparing Revenue Benchmarks
Benchmarks can be distorted if comparisons ignore context. Typical issues include:
– Comparing AC destination chargers to high-turnover DC corridor sites
– Ignoring uptime, which can make a “good location” look weak
– Using revenue only, without considering electricity cost and margin
– Not separating roaming sessions from direct customers
– Mixing time-based pricing with kWh-based pricing without normalization
A reliable benchmark framework always defines the tariff model and includes at least a basic view of margins.
Related Glossary Terms
AC EV Charger
Charger Utilization Rate
Charging Session Revenue
Charging Revenue Analytics
Revenue Sharing
Demand-Based Pricing
OCPP
Uptime
CAPEX Recovery
Roaming