The payback period for charging infrastructure varies widely -- from 10 months for a well-located apartment building to 16 months for a shopping center. Here are the reference values per property type and the spreadsheet model you need.
Most property owners know that charging infrastructure is an investment that pays off -- but when? The answer depends entirely on the type of property you have, how the car park is designed and whether you combine the investment with the grants available. This blog provides you with concrete benchmarks per property type and a spreadsheet model you can use right away. Want to jump right on the calculus? Go to our page about electric car charging as a profitable business.
Before we get into figures by property type, it is important to understand what factors actually govern the payback period. It's not just about how much you pay per kWh.
Utilization rate is the single most important factor. A charging point that is used extensively generates revenue every day -- one that stands unused does not. Shared parking spaces, where multiple users share at the same charging point, typically provide 400—500 kWh per outlet per month. Dedicated seats, linked to a specific resident or employee, land at around 150 kWh — thus 3—4 times lower. This is also why the payback times for commercial properties with shared spaces look quite different than for a BRF with fixed parking spaces per apartment.
Investment size affects, of course, the starting point. But thanks to Charge the Car Subsidy up to 50% of the investment cost can be covered, a maximum of SEK 15,000 per charging point. An important detail for BRFs: if the installation is only for charging for your own residents, you do not need to notify in advance and can apply for the grant even after the installation is completed. If the charge also applies to local tenants or external users, this part is considered a company and requires prior notification before starting the installation.
Electricity prices and your margin records. The calculation below is based on a sales price of SEK 4/kWh excluding VAT and an electricity cost of SEK 1.50/kWh — resulting in a profit margin of SEK 2.50/kWh. That's a reasonable level based on ChargeNode's experience from 60,000+ charging points in operation.
Smart charging is another key. Med dynamic load balancing you can reduce power output and reduce subscription costs by up to SEK 60,000 per year for a typical BRF — which directly improves the calculation.
Here are concrete payback figures based on ChargeNode's installation data. Note that these are examples — your specific situation may result in shorter or longer payback periods depending on local conditions.
The best business case among the residential properties. High demand from taxi operators and private individuals is combined with a relatively low investment cost.
Office real estate has a natural advantage: electric cars are charged during working hours, and one charging point can serve up to 5 cars a day, since electric cars typically only need to be charged about once every 5 days.
Hotels have a high utilization rate thanks to the fact that guests park for a long time and recharge during their stay. Charging also bolsters the hotel's green profile and can be a competitive argument.
The highest absolute revenue stream, but also the highest investment. Fast chargers for customers who shop provide extremely high utilization rates — but require more in initial investment.
As a rule of thumb, under 18 months is a strong business case for commercial real estate with shared locations. For BRFs, where charging is often seen as a service of service rather than a pure revenue source and seats are dedicated per apartment, the calculus looks different. In addition, the cost per charging point in BRF has increased by 17 percent since 2020 — from SEK 10,200 to SEK 12,000 in 2025 — according to ChargeNode's report on charging in Sweden's BRFs. This allows the BRFs acting now to avoid further cost developments.
Worth remembering: calculus improves over time as the share of electric cars is increasing and the utilization rate is rising. ChargeNode data from over 30,000 installed outlets shows that BRF charging usage increases by 39% within 12 months of installation — meaning payback times are often shorter in practice than the initial calculation shows.
1. Too few charging points from startupInstalling too little and then building out in batches is expensive. Wiring and earthworks are the big cost item -- not the chargers per se. Build the infrastructure for 100% of the sites from day one and activate chargers incrementally as needed.
2. Dedicated places when shared would workIf your parking is open during the daytime and shared by multiple users, shared charging points are always a stronger business case. See the reference values above: 400—500 kWh per outlet per month versus 150 kWh for a dedicated location.
3. No smart power controlWithout smart charging and dynamic load balancing you risk high power peaks that drive up subscription costs -- and in the worst case, require an expensive network upgrade that erases your calculus.
We have installed over 60,000 charging points and seen calculations in all types of properties. Our experience is that the biggest risk is not that you invest -- it's that you invest wrong and then need to rebuild. Learn more about how to make your parking space a profitable business with electric car charging, or see how pricing models work in practice.
Start by downloading ROI Guide: How to make electric car charging profitable in 10-16 months for a step-by-step calculation tailored to your property type. Or use ROI Calculator directly on the web. Want to go over the calculus with one of our advisors? Contact us for a free consultation.
A reasonable payback period for charging infrastructure is often between 10 and 16 months for commercial properties — provided you choose the right solution, take advantage of available grants and install smart power management from the start. It is one of the fastest payback times you will find for real estate infrastructure today.
How long is the typical payback period for electric car charging in a property?
It depends on the type of property and the degree of utilization. For commercial properties with shared parking spaces, the payback period is typically 10—16 months. For BRFs and residential properties, the calculation is different as places are often dedicated — however grants can shorten the period considerably.
What affects the payback period the most?
Utility—that is, how much the charging points are actually used—is the single most important factor. High-throughput shared parking spaces provide 3—4 times better returns than dedicated spaces.
Can the Car Charge Subsidy shorten the payback period?
Yes, significantly. The grant covers up to 50% of the investment cost, a maximum of SEK 15,000 per charging point. BRFs that install only for their own residents do not need to notify. For others, the application must be submitted before the installation begins.
Is it better to install all charging points directly or expand incrementally?
You should pull all cable infrastructure from day one -- that's the big cost. Then you can activate charging devices incrementally according to actual demand. It provides the lowest total investment cost and the shortest payback period.
How do I calculate exactly what my property can earn on charging?
Use ChargeNodes ROI Calculator to get an initial response tailored to your circumstances.
Charge Node Europe AB
Neongatan 4B
431 53 Molndal
