The guide to electric car charging points for business

Electrifying transportation is a small but powerful step in addressing the climate crisis. The recent surge in EV sales is encouraging, but all of these vehicles need charging—and there’s still a long way to go before charging stations are as convenient and widespread as gas stations.

As of 2025, five EU countries account for 63% of the world’s public charging points. In Southeast Asia, EV sales are growing at over 40% annually, yet charging infrastructure covers less than 15% of demand. In China, 83% of counties in lower-tier cities still face service gaps. Meanwhile, Norway’s mature model—placing one charging station every 50 kilometers—highlights the untapped potential in emerging markets.

The global EV charging market is growing at an average annual rate of 18.4% and is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030. Public fast charging is becoming the dominant need, expected to account for 68% of demand in the coming years.

The good news? Savvy entrepreneurs and business owners around the world are stepping in to help fill the gap. Many are asking the same question: how can I start and scale electric car charging points for business?

Funding your electric car charging points for business

The startup costs for an EV charging business can be intimidating. But here’s the good news: numerous funding programs exist to help shoulder the financial burden. Just remember – each program comes with its own eligibility rules, timelines, and usage restrictions. Mastering these details could be your ticket to securing crucial funding.

‌Federal Funding Opportunities‌

The Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated massive funding for EV and hydrogen vehicle infrastructure. Administered by the U.S. DOT, these grants start at $500,000 and specifically target rural communities (populations under 10,000). For entrepreneurs willing to serve these underserved markets, this represents a high-impact opportunity with relatively low competition.

‌Volkswagen Settlement Funds‌

Remember Volkswagen’s “Dieselgate” scandal? As part of their settlement, VW established an Environmental Mitigation Trust to promote clean transportation, including nationwide EV charging infrastructure. While NASEO provides general guidelines, each state sets its own application requirements and deadlines. Pro tip: Bookmark your state’s energy/transportation department website for updates.

State-Specific Programs‌

• ‌California’s‌ Clean Transportation Program offers grants, rebates, and contracts
• ‌New York’s‌ ChargeNY initiative focuses exclusively on expanding charging access
• ‌Colorado’s‌ Charge Ahead program funds both Level 2 and DC fast chargers for public/private use

Opportunities in Canada

A great starting point in Canada is the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. This $680 million program has carved out funding for EV chargers across the country, but competition is stiff. To be eligible, your proposal must include at least one charger of 200 kW and above, two fast chargers of 50 kW and above, or 20 chargers of all charging levels.

Choosing a business model

If you’re considering entering the electric car charging point market, selecting the appropriate business model is critical. Your choice will depend on strategic goals, professional expertise, and available resources. Below are two common and viable approaches:

Charging Network Model‌

This model is similar to the gas station chain system, and the goal is to build charging stations in multiple locations to increase market coverage density and brand exposure. Revenue sources usually include providing charging services to electric vehicle owners at a fixed or floating rate.

You can choose to operate your own charging station or entrust a professional company to provide maintenance services. However, it should be noted that this model requires:

• High initial infrastructure investment
• Long-term equipment maintenance and technical support
• Some knowledge of power systems and energy management
• This model is more suitable for gas station chain companies that already have site resources or want to transform.

Solution provider model

Solution providers do not directly operate charging stations, but sell electric vehicle charging-related hardware, software and services to customers such as residential users, commercial real estate, and fleet operators. Services may include:

• Consulting and planning
• Equipment procurement and installation
• System maintenance and remote management
• Provide turnkey solutions for corporate customers

The revenue model is flexible and can be a one-time charge or a subscription system, such as charging service fees on a monthly or annual basis. The main sources of profit are:

• Getting wholesale discounts from equipment manufacturers
• Selling to end customers at a premium

This model relies more on sales capabilities and customer relationship maintenance, and practitioners with new energy vehicles, renewable energy or smart grid backgrounds will have more advantages.

👉 Further reading: How to Invest in EV Charging Stations​ ?

electric car charging points business Maintenance Guide

Running a thriving electric car charging points business requires more than just installing chargers — it means keeping every part of your system operating smoothly. Consistent maintenance helps prevent downtime, ensures a reliable charging experience for users, and protects your revenue. From Level 2 to DC fast chargers, each unit is built with complex components that demand regular attention and care.

Hardware

Establish a quarterly hardware condition testing mechanism, including wear-and-tear tests for the charging gun head, cable insulation aging assessments, and charging module performance calibrations. Develop a maintenance interval schedule based on equipment manufacturer recommendations, with core components (e.g., charging post motherboards, heat dissipation systems) undergoing in-depth maintenance every six months. Additional inspections should be performed after stormy weather. Dust and other debris must be removed from connectors and cables to ensure they function properly for as long as possible.

Power Management

Use your charging station management system (CSMS) to assign safe and efficient loads to each charger. The system should provide safeguards in case of connectivity loss and maintain maximum charge setpoints in non-volatile memory. A software-driven power management system generally outperforms the native load management capabilities provided by the hardware. Some systems, such as ChargeLab, can detect when a vehicle battery is fully charged and dynamically reallocate power to other chargers.

If your Level 2 charger takes more than a few hours to fully charge, or your DC fast charger takes more than an hour, there may be a voltage issue requiring battery repair or replacement.

Payment Processing

Support mobile payments (WeChat/Alipay scan code), RFID card tapping, credit/debit card swiping (including NFC payments such as Apple Pay/Google Pay), prepaid account deductions, and more to meet various user preferences.

Customers typically complete transactions via mobile devices (in-app or web-based) or external point-of-sale interfaces. Your CSMS should store complete and accurate receipt information to maintain compliance with CTEP standards.

Connectivity

When a site disappears from the CSMS interface or fails to communicate, it clearly indicates that maintenance is needed. Common causes include:

• Hardware failure: Such as damage to the motherboard, power module, or communication module.
• Interrupted network connection: Issues with communication methods like Wi-Fi, 4G modules, or Ethernet.
• Misconfiguration or power outage: Firmware configuration errors, power failures, or unexpected outages can also cause communication disruptions.

Choose a CSMS provider that offers strong customer support to expedite troubleshooting and minimize downtime.

• Automatic alert function: Notifies the operator immediately once a site goes offline.
• Remote diagnostic tools: Allow for preliminary issue diagnosis without requiring on-site personnel.
• Technical support team: Can respond quickly and guide repairs to reduce recovery time.

Need-to-know electric car charging point regulations

Around the construction and application of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, a number of standard systems have been established by multiple industry players (including hardware, software, and car manufacturers) as well as national governments. The following are two of the most representative U.S. standards in this area:

NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Initiative)

The US government has invested up to $5 billion in the federal budget to build an electric vehicle charging network. In order to ensure the transparent and fair use of funds, the US Department of Transportation has established an important standard – the NEVI plan, which will be officially implemented on March 30, 2023.

As long as it is a charging station project using federal funds, no matter where it is built, it must meet this standard. NEVI stipulates which charging piles can be used, how to process payments, how to protect data security, which labor regulations to comply with, and many other requirements.

NEC 625

If you want to start an electric car charging point business in the United States, it is crucial to understand NEC Section 625. This section is part of the National Electrical Code of the United States and specifies in detail everything from where the charging equipment is placed to what materials are used. Here are some key points:

• All EV charging facilities must be selected to meet the environmental requirements of the installation site. The selected cables should be marked with the National Electrical Code (NEC) certification mark, including EV, EVJ, EVE, EVJE, EVT or EVJT. Although the code only requires cables longer than 25 feet to be equipped with a bundle management system, industry experts strongly recommend that all cable lengths should implement standardized management plans.
• Charging equipment installations must meet the following ground clearance requirements: indoor installations must be 18 inches (about 45.7 cm) above the ground, and outdoor installations must be raised to more than 24 inches (about 61 cm).
• Charging systems can be deployed indoors and outdoors, provided that the infrastructure can fully accommodate the equipment body and the cable length is sufficient to connect to the vehicle charging port. It is important to note that the installation location will directly affect the engineering design standards of three core elements: heat dissipation and ventilation plan, waterproof sealing level, and electric shock protection level.

‌Why Universal electric car charging points Matter‌

Universal electric car charging points let drivers power up their rides – no matter what hardware or software their car runs on. This plug-and-play approach makes EV ownership way more practical, helping accelerate the electric revolution.

Right now, charging networks are a mess of incompatible systems. Operators juggle different plug types, payment systems, and software protocols – making it crazy expensive to scale up. But with universal charging tech, they can mix-and-match equipment from any manufacturer to build cost-effective networks. Drivers win too: no more obsessively mapping charging stops or worrying about compatibility issues.

Despite the obvious benefits, true universal charging still isn’t mainstream. Many stations claim to be “universal,” but drivers keep hitting frustrating dead ends. This compatibility roulette makes potential EV buyers nervous and needlessly complicates charging infrastructure.

Critical electric car charging points

As the EV industry matures, more and more manufacturers are adhering to standards that maintain high levels of quality and consistency for consumers. Standards now exist that govern operation, installation, and safety.

Installation and permitting standards

• The Alternative Fuels Data Center maintains a list of installation requirements from the US government, and its permit template provides a solid framework for what to expect.
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will apply to your electric vehicle charging station business, so be sure to review it during planning to ensure disabled customers can charge with ease. The Accessible Canada Act applies many similar requirements.

Operating standards

• SAE International standards, devised by an industry group of mobility professionals, establish hardware and software guidelines.
• ISO 15118 sets a standard for digital communications between an EV and the charging station.
• Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is a universal communications standard that allows the hardware and software of different providers to work together.
• Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) is an automated roaming protocol that lets charging stations serve drivers outside their network.
• The Canadian Electricity and Gas Inspection Act provisions for safety requirements and EV charging outputs.

Safety and security

• SOC 2 compliance helps ensure a high standard of information security.
• PCI DSS compliance safeguards customer payment info and keeps your business in good standing with payment card companies.

Quote from: chargelab.co

Charger specifications to know when starting an EV charging business

Charging Level	Connection	Charge Speed	Full Charge Time	Best Use Case	Notes
Level 3 (DCFC)	Direct current (DC input)	200 km / 124 mi per hour	20 minutes to 1 hour	Highways, transit hubs, fleet charging	Requires high-voltage infrastructure and advanced hardware
Level 2	240V outlet	30–50 km / 20–30 mi per hour	6 to 14 hours	Commercial buildings, retail locations	Requires professional installation and smart billing capabilities
Level 1	Standard 120V outlet	5 km / 3 mi per hour	20+ hours	Residential or emergency use	Uses existing infrastructure; not suitable for commercial use

EV connector types

Connector Type	Region / Market	Charging Level Supported	Description / Notes
SAE J1772 (J Plug)	North America	Level 1 & Level 2	North American standard for AC charging; widely supported in U.S. and Canada
IEC 62196 Type 2	Europe	Level 2	European standard for AC charging; used in public and residential stations
Combined Charging System (CCS)	North America & Europe	Level 3 (DC Fast Charging)	Combines AC and DC in one port; becoming global DC fast charging standard
CHAdeMo	Japan, limited global use	Level 3 (DC Fast Charging)	Developed in Japan; used by Nissan Leaf and some other Japanese EVs
GB/T	China	Level 1, 2 & 3 (DC)	China’s national EV connector standard; has different designs for AC and DC
NACS (Tesla Plug)	North America (growing)	Level 1, 2 & 3 (DC)	Tesla’s North American Charging Standard; now open to other automakers like Ford and GM

For more on installation requirements and network compatibility, read 《Different EV Charging Plug Types​: A Complete Guide》 needs to know.

Enhance your electric car charging points for business

Entering the electric vehicle charging field not only contributes to a sustainable future, but also helps to improve the profitability of your business, RUIHUA is committed to providing customers with efficient and reliable charging solutions to help you capitalize on the industry’s opportunities. No matter what your hardware configuration is, our charging station products offer a wide range of compatibility and performance to meet diverse needs. Contact us today to learn more.

Related reading