The Business Case for Commercial EV Charging in 2026
The Electric Vehicle Council's 2026 State of Electric Vehicles report confirms 454,000+ EVs are now on Australian roads, with sales growing 60% year-on-year. By 2030, EVs will represent 50% of new car sales nationally. Every commercial property without charging infrastructure is losing tenants, employees, and customers to properties that have it.
This is not speculation. It is infrastructure economics.
"We're seeing commercial landlords lose tenants specifically because they don't have EV charging. A Grade A office in North Sydney lost a 200-person tenant to a competing building that offered 40 charging bays. The annual rent differential was $800,000. The charging infrastructure cost $180,000. The ROI calculation is obvious." — Mark Willis, Head of Renewables & Electrification, Cable Co
What Commercial EV Charging Actually Costs
AC Charging (Level 2): The Workhorse
AC chargers (7–22kW) are the standard for workplaces, apartment buildings, and long-dwell locations where vehicles park for 4+ hours.
| Component | Cost Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AC charger unit (7kW single-phase) | $1,200–$2,500 | Schneider, ABB, Wallbox, EVnex |
| AC charger unit (22kW three-phase) | $2,500–$5,000 | Higher power, faster charging |
| Installation per port | $1,500–$3,500 | Cable run, protection, metering |
| Load management system | $3,000–$8,000 | Essential for 10+ ports |
| Network/billing software | $15–$50/port/month | OCPP-compliant, user billing |
| Total per AC port (installed) | $3,000–$8,000 | Depends on site complexity |
DC Fast Charging (Level 3): Destination and Public
DC chargers (50–350kW) suit retail, fuel stations, highway stops, and any location where vehicles dwell for 15–45 minutes.
| Component | Cost Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DC charger unit (50kW) | $35,000–$55,000 | ABB Terra, Tritium, Kempower |
| DC charger unit (150kW) | $65,000–$95,000 | Dual-port, CCS2 |
| DC charger unit (350kW) | $120,000–$180,000 | Ultra-rapid, liquid-cooled |
| Installation + transformer | $15,000–$40,000 | Dedicated supply often needed |
| Network connection upgrade | $10,000–$50,000+ | Depends on existing capacity |
| Total per DC charger (installed) | $45,000–$120,000 | Excluding ultra-rapid |
The Hidden Cost: Electrical Capacity
The single biggest variable in commercial EV charging cost is your building's existing electrical capacity. A 40-port car park drawing 7kW per port needs 280kW of available capacity. Most commercial buildings don't have that spare.
Solutions (from cheapest to most expensive):
- Load management ($3,000–$8,000): Smart systems that share available capacity across all chargers, reducing each charger's output when demand is high. Essential for any installation over 10 ports.
- Solar offset ($15,000–$40,000 for 30–50kW): Generate on-site power to offset charging load. Reduces grid demand and provides free charging during business hours.
- Battery buffer ($20,000–$50,000): Store cheap off-peak energy and discharge during peak charging periods. Eliminates demand charges.
- Supply upgrade ($20,000–$100,000+): Request additional capacity from your network distributor (Ausgrid, Endeavour, Essential, Energex). Lead time: 3–12 months.
Revenue Models: How to Make EV Charging Profitable
Model 1: Workplace Amenity (Cost Centre)
Best for: Corporate offices, employee attraction/retention
Pricing: Free or subsidised ($0.00–$0.20/kWh)
Revenue: None directly — value is in talent retention and ESG reporting
Typical setup: 10–40 AC ports, load-managed, employee app access
Model 2: Tenant Amenity (Lease Premium)
Best for: Commercial landlords, strata buildings, shopping centres
Pricing: Included in lease or body corporate fees
Revenue: $500–$2,000/year premium per parking bay with charging
Typical setup: 20–100 AC ports, individual metering, OCPP billing
Model 3: User-Pays (Revenue Generator)
Best for: Public car parks, retail destinations, fleet depots
Pricing: $0.40–$0.65/kWh (AC), $0.50–$0.85/kWh (DC)
Revenue: $2,000–$8,000/port/year (AC), $15,000–$60,000/charger/year (DC)
Typical setup: Mix of AC and DC, public access, payment terminal
Model 4: Fleet Depot (Operational Savings)
Best for: Delivery companies, councils, service fleets
Pricing: Internal cost allocation
Revenue: Fuel savings of $3,000–$5,000/vehicle/year
Typical setup: Dedicated ports per vehicle, overnight charging, solar integration
Government Incentives for Commercial EV Charging
| Incentive | Value | Eligibility | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW EV Fleets Kick-start (AC ports) | $3,000/port | NSW businesses, max 15 ports | Nov 2026 |
| NSW EV Fleets Kick-start (DC) | 50% of cost, max $60,000 | NSW businesses | Nov 2026 |
| Federal instant asset write-off | Full deduction in year of purchase | Businesses <$10M revenue | Ongoing |
| FBT exemption (employee EVs) | $15,000–$18,000/vehicle saved | All employers | Until Apr 2027 (full) |
| NSW Destination Charging Grant | Up to $80,000 | Tourism/hospitality venues | Until funds exhausted |
| QLD Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy | Varies | QLD businesses | Ongoing |
Combined savings example (20-port workplace):
- 20 × AC chargers installed: $120,000
- NSW Kick-start grant: -$60,000
- Instant asset write-off (30% tax rate): -$18,000
- Net cost after incentives: $42,000
- Annual revenue (user-pays $0.45/kWh): $24,000
- Payback: 1.75 years
Load Management: The Non-Negotiable for 10+ Ports
Load management is the technology that makes large-scale EV charging financially viable. Without it, a 40-port installation would need 280kW of dedicated capacity. With load management, the same 40 ports operate on 80–120kW of shared capacity.
How it works:
- System monitors total available building capacity in real time
- Allocates charging power dynamically based on vehicle needs, departure times, and grid constraints
- Prioritises vehicles with earlier departure times or lower state of charge
- Reduces all chargers proportionally during building peak demand periods
- Without load management: 40 ports × 7kW = 280kW capacity needed = $80,000+ supply upgrade
- With load management: 40 ports sharing 100kW = no supply upgrade needed = $8,000 for the system
- Savings: $72,000+
The maths:
Cable Co installs OCPP-compliant load management from Schneider Electric, ABB, and EVnex that integrates with building management systems (BMS) and solar inverters for optimal energy distribution.
Case Study: 200-Bay Commercial Car Park, North Sydney
Client: A-grade commercial office, 200 parking bays, 3 tenants
Challenge: Tenants demanding EV charging as lease renewal condition
Solution: 80 AC ports (22kW) with dynamic load management, 30kW rooftop solar, OCPP billing platform
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Total installation cost | $380,000 |
| NSW Kick-start grant | -$60,000 |
| Instant asset write-off | -$96,000 |
| Net cost | $224,000 |
| Annual revenue (user-pays) | $128,000 |
| Payback period | 1.75 years |
| Tenant retention value | $2.4M (3 tenants × $800K rent) |
Why Cable Co for Commercial EV Charging
Scale: 800+ commercial installations completed. We've seen every building type, every electrical configuration, every strata complication.
Integration: We don't just install chargers — we design the complete electrical system including solar, battery, load management, BMS integration, and network connectivity.
24/7 support: Our facilities management command centre monitors every commercial installation in real time. Charger faults are detected and dispatched within 15 minutes, not 15 days.
Vendor-agnostic: We install and service all major brands (ABB, Schneider, Tritium, Kempower, Wallbox, EVnex, Ocular) and recommend based on your specific requirements, not our margin.
Compliance: ASP Level 1 accredited, NECA member, ISO certified. We handle the Ausgrid/Endeavour/Essential connection applications, the DA submissions, the fire safety certificates, and the strata approvals.
Planning Your Commercial EV Charging Installation
Step 1: Site Assessment (Free)
Cable Co engineers assess your electrical capacity, parking layout, cable routes, and future expansion potential. We provide a detailed report with options and costings within 5 business days.
Step 2: Design and Approvals (2–4 weeks)
Electrical design, load management specification, network distributor application (if required), strata approval documentation, and DA submission (if required).
Step 3: Installation (1–4 weeks)
Depending on scale: 10 ports in 3–5 days, 40 ports in 2 weeks, 100+ ports in 3–4 weeks. Minimal disruption to building operations.
Step 4: Commissioning and Monitoring
Every charger tested, network-connected, and enrolled in our 24/7 monitoring platform. User app configured, billing activated, and training provided to building management.