Price is one of the few things a charge point operator fully controls. It decides whether drivers choose your station, how long they stay and whether the site pays back. There are three main ways to price a session, and most successful networks combine them.
Per kWh: pay for energy
The driver pays for the energy delivered to the vehicle. It is the fairest and most transparent model, because two cars that take the same energy pay the same, and it is the model most drivers in India now expect.
- Strengths: easy to understand, fair across vehicles, revenue follows your electricity cost.
- Weakness: it does not discourage drivers from staying plugged in long after charging slows.
Per minute: pay for time
The driver pays for time connected. It encourages people to move on, which keeps busy fast chargers turning over.
- Strengths: rewards fast turnover at busy sites.
- Weakness: it feels unfair to cars that charge slowly, because they pay more for the same energy.
Idle fees: the useful middle ground
Many operators charge per kWh, then add a per-minute idle fee once charging ends or after a grace period. Drivers pay fairly for energy but have a reason to free the charger. See our guide to charging etiquette and idle fees.
Subscriptions and memberships
Drivers or fleets pay a monthly fee for a lower per-kWh rate, a bundle of energy or priority access.
- Good for: fleets, frequent commuters, residential communities and workplaces.
- Benefit to you: predictable monthly revenue and loyal users.
- Watch out for: heavy users on unlimited plans can cost more than they pay.
Time-of-day pricing
Electricity often costs less at certain times. Under the Ministry of Power's 2024 charging guidelines, public charging uses a single-part tariff with cheaper rates during solar hours (9 am to 4 pm). Passing some of that saving to drivers can shift charging to cheaper hours and fill quiet periods.
What to include in your price
- Electricity cost, including demand charges.
- Payment processing and software fees.
- Maintenance, monitoring and support.
- Site rent or revenue share with the landowner.
- A return on the hardware and installation investment.
- Taxes. Show the full price, including GST, clearly before the driver starts.
Practical tips
- Check local rules on tariffs and service charges for public charging.
- Keep prices simple. Complex pricing loses first-time drivers.
- Compare nearby stations, but compete on reliability, not only price.
- Review prices every few months using real usage data.
EVee Buddy's charge point management system supports per-kWh, per-minute, idle-fee, time-of-day and subscription pricing, so you can change your model without changing hardware.
Sources
Rules and tariffs change and differ by state. Confirm current terms with your state electricity regulator, DISCOM or nodal agency before setting prices.