Commercial EV Charger Installation Cost: What UK Businesses Should Budget For

What does a commercial EV charger installation cost?

A commercial EV charger installation cost in the UK typically runs from a few thousand pounds per AC charger to tens of thousands of pounds per DC rapid charger, before any grid upgrade. The final figure depends on the charger type, groundworks, your site's power supply, payment and software, and whether grants or funding options reduce the upfront cost.

The ranges below are indicative. Every site is different, which is why a site survey comes before any firm price.

1. Hardware costs (choosing the right charger)

The cost of the physical charger can vary widely depending on the type:

• Standard AC chargers (7kW-22kW): £1,000 - £3,000 per unit

• Rapid DC chargers (50kW-100kW): £10,000 - £35,000 per unit

• Ultra-rapid DC chargers (100kW+): £35,000 - £80,000+ per unit

Higher-speed chargers cost more, but they also charge faster, which suits short-stay locations. For hotels and other overnight sites, AC chargers usually do the job at a fraction of the price. If you are still deciding on hardware, our guide to choosing commercial EV chargers compares the main options.

Choosing the right charger speed for your customers' dwell time is essential

2. Installation and civil works

Installation is often where the real variation happens. Depending on the site, you may need:

• Trenching and groundwork to lay cables

• Upgrades to electrical infrastructure

• New distribution boards or substations

• Traffic management (for on-street or car park installations)

A site with an existing power supply and accessible cabling routes will be far cheaper than a remote site needing major civil works.

3. Power supply and DNO upgrades

Before any charger goes live, your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) needs to assess the site's power capacity. In Scotland that is SP Energy Networks in the central belt and south, or SSEN in the north. If additional supply is required, you might face:

• Connection fees

• Reinforcement works

• Long lead times

DNO costs can range from a few hundred pounds to £50,000+, particularly if you're planning rapid or multiple chargers.

Our tip: work with an installer who handles the DNO application process for you (that's us). It can be a minefield.

4. Back office, software and management costs

Commercial EV chargers are rarely plug and play. Most use a management platform for:

• Payment processing

• Usage data

• Bay booking

• Charger uptime monitoring

• Customer support tools

These platforms usually charge a monthly fee per charger, often between £10 and £50 a month, depending on features. At Connekt, our chargers run on Connekt Cloud, our own charger management software, and drivers can use the Get Connekted app. You can see what it does on our EV charging software page.

You may also need a payment terminal (contactless card reader), which adds roughly £1,000 per unit. Under the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, new public charge points of 8kW and above installed after 24 November 2024, and all public charge points of 50kW and above, must offer contactless payment. The government guidance allows that per charge point or per charging site where there is more than one, so a multi-charger site does not always need a reader on every unit.

5. Ongoing maintenance

Like any infrastructure, EV chargers need to be kept in good working order. Maintenance may include:

• Remote diagnostics

• On-site repairs

• Firmware updates

• Replacing damaged cables or connectors

Some installers offer maintenance contracts for peace of mind, typically priced at £200-£500 per unit. Ask what is included and how quickly faults are fixed. Connekt's network runs at 99.13% uptime, and up to 96.5% of faults are fixed remotely, without waiting for an engineer. Our article on why uptime matters more than charger count explains why that matters as much as the purchase price.

Would you like a tethered charger (one that comes with a cable)? Or do you expect your customers to always have their own cable?

6. Funding options

You don't necessarily need to pay everything upfront. Funding options vary from site to site and change over time, and some can mean no upfront cost.

At Connekt we help you model the financials and find the right option for your site. The quickest way to see what fits is a free quote and funding options call.

7. Grants and incentives

The main government grant still open to businesses is the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS). It covers up to 75% of the cost of buying and installing chargepoints (including VAT), capped at £500 per socket and 40 sockets across all your sites, for installations completed from 1 April 2026. It is open to businesses, charities, public sector organisations and small accommodation businesses, applies in Scotland as well as the rest of the UK, and runs for a final year until 31 March 2027 (GOV.UK Find a grant).

The older staff and fleets grant (previously up to £15,000 per installation) closed to applications on 31 March 2026 (GOV.UK). Some local councils also offer support. We can help with the paperwork: see our Workplace Charging Scheme application page.

8. The hidden costs of doing nothing

While upfront costs are important, it's worth considering the long-term benefits:

• Attract EV-driving customers

• Increase dwell time and spend

• Boost sustainability credentials

• Earn from paid public charging

• Stay ahead of rising EV ownership and regulation

Delaying installation could mean losing out on guests and visitors who plan their trips around charging, and paying more later as demand spikes.