EV Tools

Charger Investment Calculator

Thinking about installing EV chargers at a business, workplace or property? Estimate what they would cost, what they could earn, how long until they pay back, and how busy they need to be to make sense.

1. Your project

Charger type Level 2 (slower, for longer stays) DC fast (quick stops, costly to install)

Number of charging ports Power per port (kW)

2. Upfront costs

Charger hardware, per port ($) Installation, per port ($) Electrical / utility upgrades for the site ($, one-time)Panel, transformer or service upgrades, trenching. Incentives & grants received ($, one-time)State, utility or local grants and rebates you qualify for. The federal charger credit ended for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026.

3. Use and pricing

Charging sessions per port per dayTraffic varies hugely by site — try several values. Energy per session (kWh) Price you charge drivers ($ per kWh)$0 means free charging. Flat fee per session ($)

4. Running costs

Your electricity cost ($ per kWh)From your utility bill. Network / software fees ($ per port per year) Maintenance & warranty ($ per port per year) Payment processing fees (% of revenue) Utility demand charge ($ per kW of peak, per month)From your utility's tariff. Often the biggest cost for DC fast. Share of full power drawn at the same time (%) Other benefit ($ per port per year)Value you place on chargers drawing customers or tenants.

5. Time frame

Years to analyse Yearly growth in sessions (%)New sites often ramp up over several years.

Estimated payback

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Upfront cost

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After incentives

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Year-1 revenue

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Year-1 running costs

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Year-1 profit

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Cash left at the end

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Return on the investment

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How busy each port is

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How busy do the chargers need to be?

To cover running costs: —
To pay back within your time frame: —
Highest demand charge the site could absorb: —

Cash position by year

Each bar is the cumulative cash position at the end of that year. Bars below the line mean the project has not yet paid back.

A planning estimate only, before income tax and depreciation, and not financial, tax or legal advice. Starting values are as of October 2026 — replace them with quotes from licensed electricians and charger vendors, and your own utility tariff. Real results depend on location, traffic, equipment reliability and utility rules.

Before you decide

Traffic is the biggest unknown. Try a low, a middle and a high number of sessions per port per day, and look at how busy the chargers need to be to pay back.
Level 2 chargers rarely pay for themselves through charging fees alone; they are often justified by drawing customers, tenants or employees. Use "Other benefit" to put a value on that.
DC fast chargers cost far more and can bring utility demand charges based on peak power. Ask your utility whether it offers an EV-specific rate.
Check state, utility and local incentives and grants — they can change the picture a lot. The federal charger tax credit is no longer available for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026.
Get quotes from licensed electricians and charger vendors, and talk to your utility early about the electrical service you will need.

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