Short answer: if you own a plot, a dhaba, a petrol pump, a hotel or a showroom on a road where EVs pass, you have the hardest part of a charging station already: the location. You can use it in two ways. Either build and own the station yourself, and keep every rupee it earns. Or let a station owner put chargers on your land and take a share of every session, worked out automatically and paid to your bank. No franchise is needed for either.
Why your land is worth something
Drivers on a long trip stop where they would stop anyway: for food, tea, a washroom or a break. A charger at such a place gets used, and the stop brings customers to the rest of the business. That is why a good roadside site is the scarcest thing in EV charging. Chargers can be bought; a spot where people already stop cannot.
Two ways to use it
| Own the station | Host someone else's station | |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays for chargers and building | You | The station owner |
| Who earns from charging | You, all of it | The station owner, with a share to you |
| Who looks after the chargers | You, with the maker's warranty and maintenance | The station owner |
| Your effort | Some: a dashboard to glance at | Very little |
| Best for | Owners who want the full return | Owners who want income without investing |
If you choose to own it, the rest of our DC guides are for you, starting with do you need a franchise? (you don't) and how much power a station can get. The rest of this guide is about hosting.
How the host's share works
The share is set in a written contract and worked out by the charging software on every session, so nobody has to count by hand. It can be:
- A percentage of each session's value.
- A fixed amount per session.
- A fixed amount per unit (kWh) delivered.
- A mix of these.
Because drivers pay by UPI and every session is recorded, the host can see each session, the amount and their share in their own portal, with invoices. Payouts go to the host's bank account automatically, on the schedule agreed in the contract.
A per-unit share is the easiest to understand and to check. A percentage rises with the price the station charges. A fixed amount per session rewards visits rather than energy. Choose the one whose logic you would be comfortable explaining to your family.
What to agree in writing
- The share, and how it is calculated: percentage, per session or per unit.
- How often it is paid, and that you can see every session behind it.
- Who pays the electricity bill. Usually the station has its own connection in the owner's name; if it draws from your meter, the energy cost must be settled separately.
- The space: how many parking bays, the charger's footprint, the cable route and the transformer or panel position.
- Hours of access for drivers and for maintenance.
- The term, and what happens to the chargers and the connection when it ends.
- Safety and insurance: who is responsible for the equipment and for incidents on site.
What makes a good host site
- On a road with EV traffic, especially between cities.
- A reason to stop for 20 to 40 minutes: food, tea, washrooms, shade.
- Parking that can be marked for charging, close to where power can reach.
- Power: a DC station needs a dedicated connection. How much your DISCOM allows on LT supply decides the size. Read LT or HT, and see why highway sites are different in highway DC charging.
- Open 24 hours, or at least long hours, with lighting and some security.
What we would do
If we owned a busy roadside spot, we would first get a proper site study to see what power is available and how many chargers fit. Then we would decide between owning and hosting based on real numbers, not on a sales pitch. And if we hosted, we would insist that every session and our share of it is visible to us, not just a monthly cheque. Book a site study to start.
Frequently asked questions
Can I earn money by putting an EV charger on my land?
Yes. Either build and own the station and keep the earnings, or let a station owner use the land for a share of every session, paid to your bank.
How is a land owner's share calculated?
By contract, and worked out by the software on each session: a percentage of the session value, a fixed amount per session, a fixed amount per unit, or a mix.
Can the land owner see the sessions?
Yes. On our system the host gets a portal showing sessions, their share and invoices.
Who pays the electricity bill for a hosted charging station?
Usually the station has its own connection in the station owner's name. If it uses the land owner's meter, the energy cost must be settled separately in the contract.
Do I need a franchise to host or own a charging station?
No. Owners can take UPI payments with no app and run the station on their own software and brand, and hosts are paid by contract.
