Electrification continues to accelerate and the demand for charging is growing. It's an opportunity for energy companies — but that opportunity is best taken when operational responsibility lies with someone who is built for just that. Choosing the right partner is not a detail. This is what determines whether the charge strengthens your position or burdens your business.
Many energy companies were early with charging infrastructure. It was a wise move. But what looked like a natural extension of the core business has for many turned out to be something fundamentally different — an operating business with its own logic, its own costs and its own requirements for competence. Now more energy companies are starting to deal with it in a new way.
It was a logical connection. Energy companies sell electricity. Electric cars need to be charged. Installing charging points for customers seemed like a natural next step -- a way to strengthen the customer relationship, meet the wave of electrification and consolidate one's position in a changing market.
Many energy companies were early and brave. They built up charging portfolios when the market was still immature and contributed to the emergence of charging infrastructure in Sweden. It was the right decision at the time. But now there is a better way to deal with it.
But the charging market has matured quickly. And with maturity, a realization for many has become clearer: owning and operating charging infrastructure is not the same as selling electricity. It is an operating business with its own requirements for hardware expertise, software development, field service and end user support — 24/7. It requires specialization, not breadth.
It's rarely dramatic. It is instead the running friction that accumulates: a charger that stops working, a support issue that escalates, a firmware update that requires internal management, a customer switching supplier because the experience didn't hold up.
In parallel, the requirements for the charging infrastructure are being tightened. Requirements for smart charging, open protocols and interoperability mean that facilities that were installed a few years ago need continuous updating to stay relevant and compliant. It is investment in skills and technology that is difficult to justify when charging is not your core business.
The result is that the charging portfolio takes resources -- not dramatically, but consistently -- that would otherwise have gone to what the energy company is actually built to do.
An active choice is to divest the charging infrastructure to a specialized charging operator and focus resources on the core business. That's not a failure -- it's the same kind of decision energy companies make when they outsource IT operations, meter management or customer service. You choose to do what you're best at, and let someone else do what they're best at.
Charging as a Service from ChargeNode is the model for that shift. ChargeNode acquires the charging portfolio and takes over the entire operation via a 10-year agreement. The charging points physically stay in place — end users notice no difference, on the contrary, they get access to round-the-clock support with a response time of under 90 seconds and a platform with 99.7% uptime. But bug fixes, updates and future rollouts are from that day ChargeNode's responsibility.
That's the right question -- and it needs a clear answer. The charging infrastructure was often installed to strengthen the relationship with the customer, not just as a technical service. Ceding the operation should not mean losing that relationship.
ChargeNode offers flexible forms of collaboration for energy companies that want to maintain their presence towards the end customer. White label means that the charging service is presented under the energy company's brand — the customer sees you, not ChargeNode. Co-branding is an intermediate solution in which both brands are visible. You decide how much of the customer relationship you want to keep. ChargeNode manages the operation behind the scenes.
ChargeNode is Sweden's largest charging operator with over 60,000 active charging points and 30% market share. With our own service engineers throughout Sweden and a proprietary platform with 99.7% uptime, we take a holistic responsibility that includes everything from hardware and software to operations, support and future expansion.
Do you have a charging portfolio that you would like to review? Contact us for a free valuation — without obligations.
Is Charging as a Service suitable for energy companies?
Yes. Many energy companies have installed charging points as an additional service that requires resources you would rather spend on the core business. ChargeNode offers a structured divestment where you free up internal capacity — and you can maintain the customer relationship via white label or co-branding if you wish.
What happens to our customers when ChargeNode takes over operations?
Your customers don't notice any difference in their everyday lives — on the contrary, they get access to better service and support around the clock. In addition, through white label or co-branding, you can maintain your brand presence towards the end customer even after the transition.
What size of charging case is required?
ChargeNode primarily acquires charging portfolios with at least 10 outlets and documented or predictable charging volume. If you are not sure if your portfolio is suitable, contact us and we will make a free assessment.
How long does the process take from first contact to handover?
The process takes place in four stages: free valuation, contract design, transition and start-up of operations. Exact timeframe depends on the size and complexity of the portfolio, but the goal is always a smooth transition without downtime.
What happens when the 10-year contract expires?
ChargeNode sees the 10-year agreement as the start of a long-term collaboration. Before the end of the agreement, a dialogue is held on the extension or new structure of the agreement.
Charge Node Europe AB
Neongatan 4B
431 53 Molndal
