Is an EV Charger a Good Investment for Your Property?

You may have seen more and more EVs on the road and wondered:

“Would an EV charger actually be worth installing at my property?”

If you own an Airbnb, VRBO, vacation rental, hotel, apartment property, small business, office, or other property where people park for an extended period of time, the answer may be yes.

And there's a reason we're seeing more property owners look at EV charging as something more than just an amenity.

It can generate revenue.

You're Not Just Installing a Charger

A traditional property amenity costs you money.

A swimming pool costs money.

A hot tub costs money.

Wi-Fi costs money.

But an EV charger can be different.

With Boba Charge, you can charge guests, customers, tenants, or other authorized users for the electricity they use.

That means the charger has the potential to become a revenue-producing amenity rather than simply another expense.

Start With the Price Gap

Here's where the opportunity gets interesting.

Residential electricity can cost roughly 11¢–25¢ per kWh, depending on your location and utility rate.

Public EV charging commonly costs around 45¢–65¢ per kWh—and sometimes more.

That's a substantial difference.

Let's say your electricity costs you 15¢ per kWh.

If you charge your guest 45¢ per kWh, you're charging approximately three times your electricity cost.

A 40 kWh charging session would look like this:

Your electricity cost: $6.00
Guest payment: $18.00
Difference: $12.00

That's before any applicable Boba Charge fees and other costs, so it's not a guaranteed $12 profit.

But it illustrates the opportunity.

And unlike a commercial charging station, you don't necessarily need to build an entire charging business around your property.

The property is already there.

The parking space is already there.

The electricity is already there.

You're simply adding the ability to charge for EV charging.

How Often Does Someone Need to Use It?

This is where every property is different.

You don't need every guest to own an EV.

You don't even need your charger to be used every day for it to provide value.

Think about other amenities.

Not every Airbnb guest uses the hot tub.

Not every hotel guest uses the gym.

Not every customer at a business uses every amenity you offer.

The value comes from having something available for the people who want it.

For an EV driver, an on-site charger can be a major convenience.

And if that guest pays to use it, the amenity can potentially generate revenue at the same time.

The Convenience Is Part of the Value

Imagine an EV-driving guest arrives at your property at 7:00 PM.

Their battery is getting low.

They have a choice.

They can leave your property, find a commercial charging station, hope there's an available charger, and spend time waiting.

Or they can park at your property and plug into Boba Charge.

They can go inside.

Have dinner.

Relax.

Go to sleep.

Wake up.

Their car is charged.

That's destination charging.

The charger doesn't have to be the fastest charger in town.

It just has to be where the customer already wants to be.

Think About Your Property From the Guest's Perspective

If you're an EV driver traveling to an unfamiliar area, what sounds better?

Option 1:

“There's a public charger 10 minutes away.”

Or:

Option 2:

“There's a charger right at the property.”

For many EV drivers, the second option is going to be attractive.

They don't have to spend part of their vacation looking for a charging station.

They don't have to worry about whether the station is available.

They don't have to wake up early to move their vehicle.

They simply plug in when they arrive.

Charge while you sleep. Wake up and go.

You Control the Price

One of the biggest advantages of Boba Charge is that you set the price.

We don't tell property owners what they have to charge.

Instead, we recommend looking at the commercial charging stations around your property.

See what they're charging.

Then set a price that is competitive for your market.

Your electricity may cost you 15¢ per kWh.

A commercial charger nearby might charge 55¢.

You might decide that charging your guests 40¢ or 45¢ makes sense.

The exact price is up to you.

Your property. Your charger. Your price.

Your Guests Don't Need Another App

Boba Charge is designed to keep the guest experience simple.

The guest doesn't have to download a charging app or create an account with a charging network.

They simply:

Scan the QR code.

Pay.

Charge.

That's it.

For a guest who just wants to plug in and get on with their evening, simplicity matters.

What About the Cost of Installation?

This is where you need to look at your individual property.

If you're considering an EV charger, you'll want to determine:

• Whether you already have suitable electrical capacity

• Where the charger will be located

• How far the electrical connection is from the parking area

• Whether you need a new 240V circuit

• Whether a 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet or hardwired installation makes more sense

• What your electrician will charge for the installation

• What your local electrical requirements are

Boba Charge offers both plug-in and hardwired models.

When the property allows for it, we strongly recommend considering a properly installed 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet with the plug-in Boba Charge because it keeps the charging equipment more flexible over time.

The electrical infrastructure stays in place.

The charger can be replaced or upgraded later.

And if you eventually sell the property, the next owner still has useful 240V infrastructure.

What Kind of Property Makes Sense?

Boba Charge isn't just for Airbnb hosts.

The opportunity can make sense anywhere people park for extended periods.

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb and VRBO hosts can offer EV charging as an additional paid amenity.

Hotels

Guests can charge overnight rather than searching for a public charging station.

Apartment Properties

Residents can potentially charge where they already live.

Small Businesses

Customers and employees can charge while they're already at the property.

Offices

Employees can charge while they're working.

Vacation Properties

Guests can arrive, plug in, and wake up ready to travel.

The common denominator is simple:

People are already parking there.

You Don't Have to Build a Commercial Charging Station

This is an important distinction.

Boba Charge isn't asking property owners to compete with giant public charging networks.

You're not trying to build a parking lot full of chargers.

You're offering charging at a place where people are already going.

That's what makes the economics interesting.

You have a property.

You have parking.

You have electricity.

Boba Charge gives you a way to turn that existing infrastructure into a paid EV charging service.

So, Is an EV Charger a Good Investment?

It depends on the property.

Look at your local EV adoption.

Look at how many EV drivers are likely to visit your property.

Look at nearby commercial charging prices.

Look at your electricity rate.

Look at the cost of installing the electrical infrastructure.

Then consider the value of offering something your competitors may not have.

For the right property, an EV charger can provide three potential benefits at once:

A better guest or customer experience.

A competitive property amenity.

An opportunity to generate additional revenue.

That's a pretty interesting combination.

Your Parking Space Is Already There

You don't have to build a new property.

You don't have to create a new parking lot.

You don't have to become a giant commercial charging network.

You already have the place where the vehicle is going to sit.

Boba Charge simply gives you the ability to turn that parking space into a charging destination.

And when the numbers make sense, that's what makes EV charging such an interesting investment for property owners.

Your guests charge. You get paid.

The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Solution Starting a Charging Revolution!