How Lucrative Is Investing in Charging Piles?

In today's era of increasing popularity of EVs, fast - charging piles have emerged as essential infrastructure . Many investors wonder: can building a 120 - kW fast - charging pile yield substantial returns? Let’s conduct an in - depth analysis

The profitability of a 120 - kW fast - charging pile hinges on multiple factors , such as construction cost, operating expenses, and revenue streams .

When the site is carefully selected and operation and management are well - executed, fast - charging piles can indeed be highly lucrative . However, if the construction costs are too high, the operating expenses are not effectively controlled, or the market demand is insufficient, their profitability will be compromised.

Taking a medium-sized city as an example.Assume that the total cost of building a 120kw fast-filling pile is about 40,000 yuan, the daily charging capacity is 500 kwh, and the charging service fee is ￥   0.3 yuan per kwh, the annual income is:

500 degrees/day x ￥ 0.3 yuan/degree x365 days = ￥ 54,750 yuan.

After subtracting the construction cost, the annual net profit amounts to around  15,000 yuan. Moreover, if advertising revenues and value - added services are taken into account, the net profit will be further boosted.

After the fast-filling pile is completed and put into operation, it is necessary to consider the operating costs. After deducting the electricity fee from revenues, the main operating costs include maintenance expenses and personnel management fees . Maintenance costs include regular inspection and equipment upkeep to ensure the normal and stable operation of fast-charging piles. Personnel management fees are mainly used for the daily management and service of the charging pile.

In reality, the operating costs of a pile are relatively low. For individual or small - scale installations , they can basically recover their original cost within one year. After that, every additional penny is pure profit