Commercial EV charger costs range from around £1,200 per socket for workplace units to £45,000 for a rapid charger — but the Workplace Charging Scheme covers up to £500 per socket. Here's the real 2026 price breakdown.
What commercial EV charging actually costs in 2026
The honest answer is "it depends on the charger and the site" — but here are realistic 2026 UK ranges to plan around.
By charger type
| Charger | Typical cost (per unit, installed) | Best for | |---|---|---| | 7kW AC (workplace) | ~£1,200–£2,000 per charger + £3,000–£8,000 shared infrastructure across the site | Staff & all-day workplace charging | | 22kW AC (with billing) | ~£3,000–£5,500 per charger | Faster top-ups, mixed use | | 50kW DC rapid | ~£25,000–£45,000 per charger installed | Fleet, forecourt, destination | | Ultra-rapid (100kW+) | £25,000–£60,000+ per charger | High-throughput sites |
The cost people forget: power and groundworks
The charger is often not the biggest line item. Upgrading your site's electricity supply typically costs ~£4,500–£6,000, and groundworks, cabling and trenching add more — especially for DC rapid units. This is why a proper site survey matters before anyone quotes you a number.
How the grant changes the maths
The Workplace Charging Scheme covers 75% of cost, up to £500 per socket, for up to 40 sockets. On a workplace install of, say, 10 dual-socket 7kW units (20 sockets), that's up to £10,000 off — turning a five-figure project into a far smaller net spend. (See our full grants guide for every scheme you can stack.)
The £0-upfront route
If you'd rather avoid capital cost entirely, Energy Partners installs commercial charging with £0 upfront through grant funding, manages the WCS claim for you, and deploys nationwide with installs typically completed in around 4 weeks.
→ See your net cost after grants in 60 seconds
Frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial EV charger cost in the UK? Roughly £1,200–£2,000 per socket for 7kW workplace units (plus shared infrastructure), £3,000–£5,500 for 22kW, and £25,000–£45,000 for a 50kW DC rapid charger — before grants.
What's the extra cost for the power supply? A supply/grid upgrade commonly adds £4,500–£6,000, plus groundworks and cabling depending on the site.
How much can the grant save me? The Workplace Charging Scheme covers 75% up to £500 per socket, for up to 40 sockets.
The bottom line
Commercial EV charging spans a wide price range, and the site works often matter more than the charger. The fastest way to a real number is a survey — and with up to £500 per socket in grant support, the net cost is lower than the headline.
Cost ranges are indicative for 2026 and vary by site; grant figures verified against GOV.UK as of June 2026.
Grant Eligibility CheckerRead this article in the app at energy-partners.co.uk/insights/commercial-ev-charging-cost-uk-2026. Energy Partners installs and manages commercial EV charging, solar and battery storage for UK venues — talk to us.