Property: The Strategic Resource of EVCI
In the EV charging sector, there is much talk of technology, power output and network coverage. But the most strategic resource is often the most overlooked: real estate. Without a location, there is no charger. And not all locations are equal.
The owner or manager of a site (the "host site") possesses a valuable asset: publicly accessible parking spaces. But turning that asset into a high-performing charging station requires choosing the right operator, with the right contractual model, offering the right technology for the right parking duration. It is this fit that we will explore in detail.
Understanding Parking Profiles
The first decision criterion is the average parking duration at the site, as it directly determines the relevant type of charging:
- Short stay (5 to 20 minutes): petrol stations, fast-food drive-throughs, parcel pickup points. → Fast DC charging (50 to 150 kW minimum).
- Medium stay (30 minutes to 2 hours): supermarkets, shopping centres, restaurants. → Medium DC charging (50 kW) or accelerated AC (22 kW).
- Long stay (2 to 8+ hours): hotels, offices, park-and-ride, hospitals. → Slow AC charging (7 to 22 kW), optimal in cost and grid sizing.
- Overnight stay (8 to 12 hours): residential, campsites, B&Bs. → Slow AC charging (3.7 to 7 kW), sufficient and economical.
Installing fast DC charging in a hotel car park where guests stay for 8 hours is a waste of investment. Conversely, offering slow charging at a motorway service station where drivers stop for 15 minutes is pointless.
The Main Categories of Host Sites
Retail and Shopping Centres
This is the favourite playground for EVCI operators. Customer footfall is high, parking duration (45 min to 1h30) is ideal for medium-power DC charging, and the retailer gains a competitive advantage by attracting EV drivers.
Suitable operators: those offering a land-lease model (monthly rent per space) or revenue-sharing, with supervision and maintenance included. Operators such as Allego, Electra or Power Dot specialise in this segment.
Key considerations: available grid connection capacity (often limited in existing centres), visibility and accessibility of dedicated spaces, and management of "squatting" vehicles occupying spaces without charging.
Hospitality and Tourism
Hospitality is a natural use case for slow to medium charging. The guest arrives in the evening and leaves in the morning: the entire night is available for charging. A 7 kW AC charger is sufficient to add 50 to 60 kWh in 8 hours — a near-complete charge for most vehicles.
Suitable operators: those offering turnkey solutions with low upfront investment for the hotelier. Some operators cover installation costs and earn revenue on the kWh consumed. The differentiating factor is the quality of the customer app and integration with the hotel's booking system.
Key considerations: connection costs (often underestimated in older buildings), the ability to manage charging through the hotel billing system, and planning for scaling up (from 2 to 10 chargers within 3 years).
Commercial Real Estate and Offices
Employees park for 8 to 10 hours a day. Slow AC charging (7 to 11 kW) is perfectly suited and enables smart charging management to smooth consumption throughout the day and avoid peak demand charges.
Suitable operators: those offering fleet management and smart charging solutions (Zeplug, ChargeGuru, Bump for France). The contractual model can be CAPEX-based (owner investment) or OPEX-based (monthly subscription per charger).
Key considerations: regulations now require new commercial buildings to pre-equip car parks. The challenge is to turn this obligation into a value-added service for tenants.
Petrol Stations and Rest Areas
This is the most technically demanding segment: ultra-fast charging (150 to 350 kW), short stop times, and a strong need for reliability and 24/7 availability. Investments are heavy (€200,000 to €500,000 per station) and a medium-voltage grid connection is almost always required.
Suitable operators: large integrated operators such as Ionity, TotalEnergies, Fastned or Tesla, who have the financial capacity to invest at scale and the brand recognition to attract users.
Key considerations: profitability remains fragile in this segment in 2026, with average utilisation rates of 10 to 20%. The business model often relies on ancillary service sales (food, retail) during charging time.
Operator Selection Criteria
Beyond site type, operator selection should be based on objective criteria:
- Contractual model: who invests (host site or operator)? What commitment duration? What revenue share?
- Maintenance and supervision: what SLA (time to restore service)? What geographic coverage for after-sales support?
- Interoperability: are the chargers accessible via major roaming networks (Gireve, Hubject) or restricted to the operator's subscribers?
- Scalability: does the contract allow for additional chargers? Migration to higher power levels?
- Listing and visibility: do the chargers appear on in-car GPS systems, navigation apps (Chargemap, ABRP) and route planners?
The MASOF Approach: Objectifying the Choice
At MASOF Consulting, we support property owners and site managers in the objective selection of their EVCI operator. Our approach starts with site analysis (footfall, parking duration, available power, technical constraints), then we compare operator proposals against a standardised scoring grid.
The right operator is the one whose operating model matches the reality of your site — not the one with the best sales pitch. And that fit can only be guaranteed by independent, rigorous analysis.