Clear answer, explained.
EV charging as a tenant amenity positions the property competitively in markets where corporate occupiers are under increasing sustainability pressure from their own employees, investors, and supply chain partners. The decision is not just about providing the infrastructure — it is about how it is structured, monitored, and cost-recovered.
Networked chargers with billing software allow landlords to recover electricity costs by billing tenants or building users per session or per kWh consumed. Pay-per-use models are common in retail and hospitality where users are not tenants. Monthly flat-rate models are common in office buildings where employees charge regularly. Premium properties sometimes provide EV charging as a no-cost amenity — absorbed into the operating cost structure as a tenant retention investment.
The choice of billing model should align with the lease structure, metering configuration, and tenant mix. Where the building has a master electricity meter with operating cost recovery, charger electricity costs can be passed through the existing mechanism. Where tenants pay electricity directly, a separate charging account or submetered EV circuit provides clean cost separation. Onsite solar further reduces the operating cost of providing the amenity — improving the economics of the no-cost model.
What this means in practice.
- Three common structures: no-cost, flat-rate, or pay-per-use
- Networked chargers with billing software enable cost recovery
- Pay-per-use suits retail/hospitality; flat-rate suits office
- Solar reduces operating cost of providing the amenity
- Submetering ensures clean cost separation for tenant-paid buildings
- Amenity charging supports ESG reporting and BEPS documentation
Best-fit environments.
- Office and mixed-use commercial buildings with corporate tenants
- Retail and hospitality properties seeking customer amenity
- Landlords in markets where EV charging is becoming table stakes
- Properties with existing solar that can power the amenity cleanly
