Rural EV Charging key information

The move to electric vehicles is building real momentum with petrol and diesel cars being phased out by law. To enable that to happen, charging infrastructure must be installed where it is needed most.

Rural communities often get left behind in infrastructure investment but tend to rely more on driving with less access to public transport. Providing reliable, accessible chargers for residents and local businesses in rural areas is regarded as critically important infrastructure for the new electrified future.

Chargepoint operators are companies that install and maintain Electric Vehicle (EV) chargepoints. They can be existing fuel retailers but more often they are new entrants looking to provide infrastructure to support the transition to EV’s. Charging an EV can be quite different to refuelling a petrol or diesel car and so new opportunities exist for them and landowners.

The chargepoint operators will fund all the works and retain ownership of the chargepoints. Therefore they will arrange for maintenance, servicing, insurance and deal with any issues that may arise. If the units are vandalised or accidentally damaged then the chargepoint operator will arrange for the repair. A phone number and email address will be provided to report any damage or issues with the chargepoints.

The chargepoint operator will sell electricity and make a small margin on each kilowatt hour (kWh) sold.

This would depend on the location but typically an annual land lease fee will be paid to you by the chargepoint operator. Chat to us and we can give you some more specifics based on your location and market value at the time.

Generally speaking, the chargepoint operators invest considerable amounts of money into a location and they need time to recoup that money and hopefully make a return. Therefore contracts tend to be around 15 - 20 years. This is not always the case, they can be shorter or longer depending on a variety of factors. Often the longer the contract you can agree to, the higher the income will be to you. We know this market very well and will help to get best value for you as a landowner.

The chargepoint operators are looking for locations to install their chargers but finding the land, winning procurement tenders, negotiating contracts and building relationships takes time and knowledge.

We are experts at this having done so on behalf of local authorities, community groups and private landowners for the last 7 years (about as long as the market has been going for public chargepoints).

We liaise with landowners and help guide you through the process. We investigate the location in the first instance and discuss options with you, as the land owner, negotiating with the chargepoint operator on your behalf.

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We ensure a fair deal for both parties at market value and make sure we only work with market leading chargepoint operators who install the best equipment to the highest standards.

We ask the chargepoint operator for a small cut for supporting them and you through the process.

An electric vehicle chargepoint looks similar to a petrol pump but instead delivers electricity to an EV. Although the technology is evolving quickly, it is currently not possible to refuel in as little time as at a petrol pump nor do many EV drivers need to. For some users, charging an electric vehicle may require a shift in mindset away from gorging on fuel to grazing more frequently on electricity.

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There are several chargepoint types available and each has the ability to charge vehicles at different speeds, measured in kilowatts (kW). These range from a 3 pin plug or 7kW home chargepoint right up to what is called 'ultra-rapid' charging - generally available on the motorways and designed to provide up to 100 miles of range in 5-10 minutes.

It depends a little on the location and the chargepoint operator, but typically they look to install 50kw and 7kw chargepoints.

It depends a little on the location and the chargepoint operator, but typically they look to install in between 2 and 6 bays. We can discuss this though depending on your preference. It is worth noting that the bays should then become solely for exclusive use of EV’s charging up.

Yes, we will require all landowners on whose land the chargepoints are to be placed to sign a legal agreement and a lease with the chargepoint operator. This will protect both parties and set out the terms in easy to understand, clear language.

Although we ensure contracts are fair and easy to understand we understand you may want legal advice. If required, we can signpost you to experienced legal professionals used to dealing with similar arrangements.

We work right across the market and have extensive experience and relationships with a range of suppliers offering lots of different equipment and services. However, we are very picky and only work with the best and most ethically minded. When the time comes we can discuss this with you, gather references and show you some of their work.

In the unlikely event that happens it will be simple to swap to an alternative supplier. This is because we make sure that the chargepoint operators only use chargers that can be easily taken over by another chargepoint operator.

We do this by making sure they work to a set of standards called The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP). If they were to default, a new chargepoint operator could come along, replace the sim card in the unit and begin running that kit as their own within a day.

The chargepoint operator. It is important that they can react to market prices, wholesale energy costs and allow for a profit margin.

Unfortunately charging on public infrastructure is always going to be a little more expensive than charging on a driveway. Factors such as VAT differences, infrastructure costs, stringent maintenance and safety requirements and the cost to install in the first place all lead to a higher cost per kWh for the end user. However, this often still works out at less than petrol and diesel and there are things chargepoint operators wish to use such as cheap off peak tariffs to bring that cost down - something particularly useful for local residents.

The chargepoints have a publicly available payment mechanism. This includes a mobile app and RFID card reader. On faster chargepoints they accept contactless card payments too.

There are two options:

1. Most commonly the electricity is brought in from a new connection to the grid. If this happens then the chargepoint operator will take responsibility for that connection and will pay the electricity bill and standing charge directly. This is often a good thing for the landowner as that connection has value beyond the end of the contract. It could be used for future technologies such as heat pumps. Improved grid connections can increase land value in certain situations.

2. Otherwise the electricity is taken from the existing supply on the land (often from an existing building supply). The party responsible for paying the electricity bill to the utility provider will continue to do so but power consumption will inevitably rise - leading to higher bills. This will then be swiftly repaid to you by the chargepoint operator.

Ideally access will be 24/7 to maximise the times that the chargers can be used. However, depending on the location, shorter opening hours may be acceptable to the chargepoint operators. For slower speed 7kw charging it is more common to charge overnight but for rapid charging it is less likely that a resident will wish to charge then. We can advise on this and talk you through the options even if you are unable to offer 24/7 access.

We advise only entering into a contract if you are fairly confident the land usage will remain consistent. The chargepoint operator will ask for that certainty and the contract may ask for the landowner to repay them their costs for any years left on the contract.

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However, we understand things change and the chargepoint operator can be flexible if we move the kit to a compatible location if that is an available option. We can help with that discussion.

Usually planning permission is not required, however in some specific instances it may be, such as if it is located within two metres of a public highway or is within a conservation area. The local Planning Portal advice will help to determine if your location will require planning permission but if you are unsure, we will help with this too.

We will work quickly to investigate and market your land to the most appropriate chargepoint operators. However, they will likely want to receive a quote to connect to the grid which can take 4 - 8 weeks. Additionally, finalising contacts and then the install are subject to their own requirements. We generally expect installations to have occurred within 6 months of you first making contact with us.