Reactive Property Owners Have the Most to Lose in the EV Transition

More and more Swedes are switching to electric vehicles — and with that comes rising demand for charging infrastructure, especially at home and at work, where 90% of all charging takes place.

If you want to offer charging to residents or employees, the Swedish subsidy “Ladda bilen” can reduce your investment cost. Read more about how to apply here.

Even though many property owners understand the shift toward electrification, not all have recognised the strategic opportunity of offering on-site charging. Some still assume charging will mainly occur at public stations. And even among those who do want to offer EV charging, many take a reactive approach, responding only when tenants ask.

So when is the right time to invest in EV charging?‍

The answer is simple: NOW.‍

Act early, reduce your investment cost, and increase your net returns with available government subsidies.

What Reactive Decision-Making Leads To

Property owners who wait for external triggers — a request from a tenant or a sales pitch from a charger manufacturer — risk making decisions that don’t align with the building’s long-term needs. Without a clear strategy, you risk building an EV charging setup that is difficult to scale, costly to operate, and frustrating for users.

Here are the most common pitfalls:

1. Loss of control

Buying chargers directly from a hardware vendor often results in vendor lock-in — fixed hardware, limited pricing flexibility, and no control over how charging is distributed.

2. Lack of scalability

Without planning around electrical capacity and actual customer needs, you may overload your grid before you meet demand — or charge prices that fail to cover your operating and future investment costs.

3. Unnecessary administration

Separate solutions for parking and charging double your workload:

two contracts
two apps or key tags
two customer support channels

This creates an unnecessarily complex customer journey and increases the risk of errors.

4. A poor charging experience

Some property owners install only a few high-power chargers. The problem?
Drivers must move their cars the moment charging is complete — which causes irritation, conflicts, and dissatisfied customers.

Success Depends on Proactive Decisions and a Unified Strategy

To avoid these pitfalls and build a profitable, long-term EV charging offering, you need to take a proactive, strategic approach. Start by creating a combined strategy for both parking and EV charging. This allows you to scale intelligently and adapt the offering based on demand, capacity, and revenue opportunities.

Key questions to consider:

Electrical capacity: What grid capacity do you have today? How will other building loads affect your ability to scale EV charging tomorrow?
Customer needs: What are the parking and charging behaviours of your tenants and visitors?
Pricing & packaging: How should charging be priced to remain user-friendly and profitable?
Operations: Will you manage the charging infrastructure yourself, or do you need a partner?

Reduce Your Investment Cost & Increase Profitability

So when should you invest in EV charging?
Again: NOW.

Demand is rising rapidly — and multiple government incentives can reduce your investment cost significantly.

“Ladda bilen” subsidy

Designed for organisations offering EV charging to residents or employees.
It can reduce installation costs by up to 50%.

Klimatklivet (The Climate Leap Programme)

Financial support for local and regional climate measures.
Next application window (2024): 25 March – 5 April.

Both programmes can dramatically improve your business case and accelerate ROI.

The Bottom Line: Proactive Beats Reactive — Every Time

The shift to electric mobility is already here, and it’s accelerating. Property owners who act early will:

capture new revenue streams
increase occupancy and tenant satisfaction
future-proof their parking assets
build a competitive, scalable charging offering

Those who wait risk falling behind — and paying for rushed, inefficient solutions later.

Want help building your EV charging strategy?
Read: How to Integrate EV Charging Into Your Parking Management Strategy

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That's why you should invest in electric car charging today

Demand is growing rapidly -- and right now financial assistance is available. With a proactive strategy, your investment becomes both smart and sustainable over time.