How to Monetize Shared Parking Spaces with EV Charging Stations

Unused and shared parking spaces can be converted into a reliable revenue stream by installing EV chargers and using the appropriate business model. Property owners, RWAs, societies, and small businesses can use low to moderate capex and use software solutions to run the business. Savekar’s WhatsApp + UPI, App-Less CMS is designed especially for property owners in India, where they can earn 100 per cent revenue from EV chargers and pay only a low SaaS charge per EV charger annually.

Why Shared Parking + EV Charging Is a High-Value Opportunity

With the increased adoption of EVs worldwide, including in India, the need to provide charging infrastructure, both in terms of destinations and neighborhoods, is on the rise. At the same time, a lot of properties have underutilized or time-specific parking areas, such as daytime office parking, nighttime residential parking, or visitor parking, which are often underutilized or unutilized for a significant part of the day, such as 8 to 6 or 10 to 6, etc.

Therefore, by installing EV charging points in such underutilized or time-specific parking areas, they can be monetized, thus transforming a ‘fixed-cost’ infrastructure into a ‘variable-revenue’ infrastructure. There are already existing platforms in the international market, such as driveway or parking space sharing platforms, such as JustPark, CoCharger, GoPlugable, etc., which allow owners to earn through their driveways or parking spaces, thus providing a proof of concept.

Business Models for Monetizing Shared Parking with EV Charging

1. Direct Pay-Per-Use Charging

Pay-per-use is the most intuitive model, where users pay only for what they use, based on kWh, minutes, and sessions.

• Per kWh Model: Users pay based on the amount of electricity consumed, e.g., ₹15/kWh, where the cost is only ₹8-10/kWh to the grid.
• Per hour/minute Model: This is applicable when the regulation does not allow the user to pay based on the amount of electricity consumed, and the user has overstayed after the charging is complete.
• Session/Slab Model: Users pay a flat rate for a fixed amount of time/energy, e.g., ₹150 for 3 hours using an AC charger, which is easy to understand and communicate to residential users and RWAs.

This pay-per-use model is applicable to shared parking spaces like societies, offices, co-working spaces, and malls, where:

• There is a mixed user base, including residents, visitors, and external users.
• The owner wants a revenue link to the utilization.
• The platform offers automated metering, billing, and settlement, so the owner does not have to incur collection costs.

Savekar’s CMS enables property owners to set their own rate structures, such as per kWh and time-based, and keep 100% revenue, with the company only charging a low flat fee per charger annually.

2. Parking + Charging Bundle (Premium Parking)

In a densely populated area, parking space itself is a premium product that is chargeable (malls, high street retail, CBD, hospitals). Charging, on the other hand, is considered a premium service supplementing the park and charge facilities.

Monetization models can vary, but common ones are:

• Premium Parking Surcharge: The parking fees include a basic rate for standard parking spaces and an additional fee for electric-ready parking spaces, which costs ₹30 for parking and ₹80 for charging.
• Free/Discounted Parking: Offering free or discounted parking to users in return for charging their vehicles, thus increasing the length of stay in the retail area.
• EV-Only Spaces: Designating a specific area in a parking lot for long-term allocated electric spots, which are reserved for tenants, thus charging a premium on a monthly basis.

This is an optimal solution for:

• Malls/Retail Spaces, where increased dwell time can lead to increased revenue.
• Offices, where companies can provide a green benefit to their staff.
• Hospitals/Hotels, which are looking to provide an ESG experience to their customers.

3. Subscriptions and Memberships

This turns irregular revenue into a regular and predictable revenue stream, which is useful in a residential or a workplace setting, as the same vehicle will be parked in the same location every day.

Examples:

• Resident EV: A flat fee for a set allowance of kWh or time.
• Corporate: Corporations charge their clients a fee which allows employees to use work charging stations without paying for their electricity usage.
• Fleet: Fleet operators practice aggregated pricing, which applies to their shared parking area overnight to account for their entire fleet of ride-sharing and delivery vehicles.

Benefits:

• Predictable revenue for the property or business.
• Reduced billing complexity for frequent users, reducing friction for each transaction.
• Increased user stickiness and reduced churn.

Savekar’s system allows for subscription billing, which means societies and commercial properties can offer a resident or corporate plan, yet still track usage and revenue generated by each user via the dashboard.

4. Revenue-Share with a Charging Partner (CPO Model)

In a revenue share model, a Charge Point Operator (CPO) or EV solutions company will fund the hardware and, in some cases, power upgrades, and the property owner will provide space and access rights.

• Typically, the CPO is responsible for installation, operation, software, billing, and maintenance.
• For the property owner, there is a fixed rent per bay, a percentage of revenue generated by charging, or a combination of both minimum guarantee and revenue share.

This is a compelling opportunity for property owners when:

• Property owners desire EV charging infrastructure but are not willing or able to fund capital costs.
• Power infrastructure and maintenance complexity are high (e.g., DC fast charging, large hubs).
• Traffic opportunity is high (e.g., highways, transportation hubs, large malls).

Landowner programs offered by EV charging companies show that unused or underutilized parking and land can be made economically useful with few operational burdens on the owner.

5. Peer-to-Peer Charger Sharing (Driveway / Society Model)

Peer-to-peer sharing platforms allow people who own private charging stations and parking spaces to offer their services to others, who can use these services on an hourly or sessional basis.

• Users list their chargers and parking availability, set pricing, and accept bookings.
• Platforms manage discovery, bookings, and payments.
• This model can be effective in densely populated areas where many electric vehicle owners lack private parking spaces at their homes.

Globally, GoPlugable, CoCharger, EVmatch, and JustPark’s JustCharge have witnessed high interest from homeowners and electric vehicle owners.

The same can be implemented in Indian societies and communities, and this can be achieved by setting certain rules at the building level and using a common CMS like Savekar, where many private charging stations can be controlled and managed from a single interface.

Competitive Landscape: How Savekar Fits In

Global and Indian Competitor Archetypes

The process of monetizing shared parking spaces that provide electric vehicle charging services has resulted in the development of multiple solution types.

These players cater to:

• Hardware Supply and Installation.
• Full CPO Business under their own brand.
• App-based platforms for control and billing.

Savekar's Positioning

Savekar offers Indian property owners a brand-independent system that operates without an application to help them control their electric vehicle charging stations and earn income from their charging sites.

Key Differentiators:

• WhatsApp and UPI for EV Charging: Users can start, monitor, and pay for their EV charging sessions exclusively through WhatsApp.
• Keep 100% of Your Revenue: Property owners can set their own tariff and keep 100% of their EV charging revenue. Savekar charges a transparent annual CMS fee per charger, e.g., ₹1,999/year, as shown on their website.
• Works with Any OCPP-Compliant Charger: Savekar is designed to connect and work seamlessly with various AC and DC charger brands. Property owners, societies, hotels, offices, and landowners can now pick and choose their charger of choice.
• No Lock-In, No Revenue Sharing: Property owners can switch models or exit contracts if they wish, unlike other CPOs and Franchise Business Models.
• Real-Time Analytics and Remote Management: Savekar provides real-time analytics and dashboards for utilization, revenue, and energy management, along with dynamic load management and uptime-focused support.

For shared parking monetization, this implies that Savekar transforms any qualifying parking space, be it a single bay or a large lot, into a completely independent revenue-generating asset, yet remains compatible with third-party installers and hardware providers.

Step-by-Step: How a Property Owner Can Monetize Shared Parking with EV Charging

Step 1: Map Your Shared Parking Inventory

To start with, we need to make a list of the parking slots and the corresponding time slots when they are underutilized:

• Resident parking is free during office hours.
• Office parking is free on nights and weekends.
• Guest parking, which is usually underutilized.
• Available vacant plots of land or parking decks on rooftops.

We need to superimpose this on the density of EVs, which is indicated by: Known EV owners in the building, in the vicinity, and key destinations.

Step 2: Choose the Right Charger Types

For shared parking monetization, the charger type should be selected based on the expected dwell time:

• AC Slow / Level 2 charger, 7-22 kW: Recommended for 2-8 hours parking, which would be typical for residential nights, office day hours, and mall parking.
• DC Fast charger, 30-60 kW and above: Recommended for short-duration parking, ranging from 30-90 minutes, which would be suitable for highways, high-end malls, and hubs.

For most residential societies and mixed-use developments, AC Slow / Level 2 would be the most suitable option, and only a few DC Fast would be required where high demand and premium pricing can be achieved.

Platforms like TelioEV, Radiant, and other commercial platforms offer AC as well as DC solutions, while Savekar provides the CMS layer and can support a wide range of these chargers.

Step 3: Decide Your Monetization Model

Using the above section on the business model as a guideline, the primary and secondary options would be:

• Residential Societies - Subscription fees from the residents and pay-per-use fees from visitors.
• Offices - Subscription fees from employees/corporate and pay-per-use fees from visitors.
• Malls and Hotels - Parking and charging bundle and promotional offers.
• Independent Landowners - CPO revenue share and pay-per-use fees from visitors.

Guidelines for parking operators and multi-family buildings suggest the use of user fees, premium parking, and indirect revenue, such as footfall and dwell time, to achieve the maximum ROI.

Step 4: Select a Software Platform (CMS)

Without an effective CMS, shared parking monetization soon becomes operationally complicated.

An effective CMS should offer:

• User access management.
• Pricing models (per kWh, per time, per session, subscription models).
• Live monitoring of usage and energy.
• Billing and payment reconciliation.

Savekar’s WhatsApp + UPI CMS is designed with the Indian consumer in mind, who is already comfortable with QR code usage, UPI payments, and WhatsApp-based communication.

• The users start by scanning the QR code, which opens a WhatsApp chat. Then they connect their devices to the charging station for power and payment through any UPI-enabled application.
• The owners have full control over pricing their charging stations because they can monitor all charging stations in real time while handling multiple charging stations
• Zero friction for users to get started, with no need to download an app or add money to a wallet.

This app-less solution eliminates drop-offs for users, making it easier for societies, RWAs, and businesses to monetize even casual users (guests, walk-ins, visitors, etc.) in the ecosystem.

Step 5: Set Tariffs and Policies

There are three objectives to balance in tariff structuring: to recover capex and opex, to remain competitive compared to alternatives, and to provide an incentive structure to avoid "bay blocking" and promote "timely" movement of vehicles.

Best practices:

• Compare nearby public or semi-public charging points, such as malls, fuel stations, or CPO app-based charging points, to set reference prices.
• Apply a markup to the input electricity tariff to recover CMS costs, opex, and desired profit.
• Implement higher tariffs after a grace period to avoid "overstaying."
• Offer discounts or free charging during off-peak hours or for residents with subscriptions.

Savekar’s dashboard facilitates dynamic pricing, enabling property owners to experiment with different pricing models over time and analyze the results.

Step 6: Make Your Chargers Discoverable

However, even the best-priced, best-sited charging points will not achieve their full monetization potential unless they can be located by users.

Essential Visibility Steps:

• Registering on popular EV charging app platforms to attract users.
• Displaying physical signage around the charging points to raise awareness about EV charging availability and pricing.
• Promoting EV charging on our website, property listing, and social media platforms, including the convenience of WhatsApp-based charging through Savekar, to attract users.
• Adding details to society communication platforms, such as WhatsApp groups, notice boards, etc., to promote charging to residents, in the case of societies, through RWA communication platforms.

According to parking providers, discoverability on maps and EV charging platforms is a major factor in increasing the revenue potential of charging points.

Step 7: Track, Optimize, and Scale

Once operations are underway, the following can be monitored:

• Utilization (kWh/day, sessions/day, peak times).
• Revenue/payback progress.
• Repeat users vs. first-time users.
• Charger uptime, along with support requests.

According to reports on parking, optimization of charger locations, pricing, and promotions over time can lead to substantial revenue gains per charging bay.

With analytics dashboards developed by Savekar, property owners can gain insights to determine:

• When to add more charging points.
• Which charging points or time slots are underperforming?
• When to create promotions targeted towards regular users.

Practical Use Cases for Different Property Types

Residential Societies and RWAs

• A few common AC charging points can be installed in common parking areas.
• Slots can be booked through a WhatsApp bot (Savekar) in an open manner, charging according to units or sessions.
• Provide a subscription model for residents to charge their vehicles overnight, along with a pay-for-use option for visitors.
• Track the usage by each flat and settle in society maintenance bills through CMS reports.

Offices and Co-working Spaces

• Offer EV charging as a company benefit, providing a discounted tariff for charging within working hours.
• Allow guests and visiting clients to use the charging points at commercial rates.
• Use EV charging as part of corporate ESG reporting and employer branding.

Malls, Hotels, and Mixed-Use Developments

• Establish electric vehicle charging stations at highly visible locations that people can easily access from their entrance points.
• The business should offer customers free parking or discounted parking fees when they purchase charging services.
• The business should give its regular customers loyalty rewards, which include free electricity delivery on major shopping occasions.
• The company should use its electric vehicle charging stations as its primary method to attract new customers during tenant lease talks.

Independent Landowners and Standalone Parking Lots

• Partner with a CPO or Franchise Provider to install DC Fast Chargers, using rental or revenue-sharing models.
• Alternatively, self-invest in AC Chargers and use a CMS like Savekar to manage Public Access.
• Target Fleet Operators, Ride Hailing Drivers, and Daily Commuters for repeat business.

FAQs:

1. How much money can I make by adding EV charging stations to my parking spaces?

Guides for parking operators and multi-family housing indicate that the installation of EV charging stations in appropriate spaces can increase revenue per space and significantly increase the return on investment for parking spaces.

2. Do I have to own the charging stations, or can a partner install the stations?

You have the option of either owning the charging stations and earning revenue from the charging of the stations or working with a CPO/turnkey partner and having them invest in the stations and pay rent for exclusive rights.

3. Is peer-to-peer charger sharing legal and feasible in societies?

Yes, it is feasible in many societies, and P2P charger sharing is enabled by platforms, and a similar business model can be replicated in Indian societies by following the bylaws and electricity regulations.

4. What type of software is required to manage shared parking chargers?

To manage shared parking chargers, a CMS is required. Savekar offers a WhatsApp + UPI CMS that allows the management of shared parking chargers without the requirement of a separate application. It uses a combination of QR codes and WhatsApp chat along with UPI payments.

5. How do you avoid conflicts among the residents or tenants of the building regarding the use of the charger?

The establishment of a charter policy together with an established maximum time for charging sessions creates a framework that prevents disputes between building occupants and their visitors.

6. Is electric vehicle charging in shared parking environmentally and financially sustainable?

Electric vehicle charging is environmentally sustainable and helps in the achievement of sustainability targets. It is also financially sustainable as it is profitable and supports sustainability targets.

7. How does Savekar specifically help me monetize my shared parking?

Savekar helps me monetize my shared parking by providing a software platform, which enables user flows on WhatsApp, QR payments, UPI payments, real-time dashboards, managing multiple chargers, subscription models, and brand-agnostic integration with AC/DC charging solutions, enabling the owner to earn 100 percent revenue on charging.

Post Script: Technical Deep Dive for Advanced Readers

A. Load Planning and Power Infrastructure

For shared parking, accurate load planning ensures no tripping, no penalty, and no unnecessary upgrades:

• Diversity factor: Not all charging points are used at full power at any time. Smart load management can limit total power drawn to less than the allowed load limits.
• Dynamic Load Management: The CMS will allocate power to charging points according to live sessions, remaining energy, and priority criteria (for example, priority for short-stay users or emergency services).
• Grid vs. backup power: Using DG sets, battery backup, or solar power can provide a high degree of resilience but will require careful design and local regulations.

Savekar’s CMS allows for dynamic load management for multiple charger sites, enabling property owners to provide for electric vehicle charging without incurring unnecessary upgrades on their electrical infrastructure.

B. OCPP, Interoperability, and Hardware Choice

"Open Charge Point Protocol" is the de facto standard used in the connection of charging points with the backend systems.

• Charging points that support "OCPP" can operate with a number of "CMS" platforms rather than being limited to a specific vendor.
• This allows the property owner to choose the hardware from a number of vendors while maintaining a single software layer.

Savekar's system is able to operate with a number of "OCPP compliant" AC/DC charging points, thus protecting the investment of the owner, as there is no "lock-in" with a specific vendor.

C. Tariff Structures and Regulatory Considerations

Depending upon the jurisdiction, the following models can be applicable to the owners of the property:

• If they are allowed to charge for the energy consumed per kWh, considering it as an EV charging service rather than the resale of electricity.
• If they are allowed to charge for the time taken, i.e., the parking fee along with the fee for the charging time.
• It is recommended to go with a combination of parking fee and charging fee, as per the applicable guidelines.

It is important to be aware of the guidelines issued by the electricity regulatory commission, local government, and RERA association bylaws applicable to societies.

D. Data, Analytics, and Optimization Loops

Sophisticated CMS systems can deliver detailed data such as:

• Session logs, including start/stop times, kWh, tariff applied, payment status, etc.
• User cohorts, such as residents, visitors, or fleet users.
• Charger-related data, such as availability, fault codes, or uptime.
• This data can be used to perform A/B testing on tariffs, forecast future capacity needs, or create data-driven reports to fulfill ESG or green building rating schemes, among other activities.

Savekar’s analytics dashboards allow decision-makers to view this data in a way that is accessible to non-technical teams, regardless of their level of expertise in EVs or electrical engineering.

By leveraging an appropriate business model, hardware, and an app-less CMS like Savekar, which is appropriate for Indian consumers’ online behavior, owners of shared parking can transform their idle parking spaces into a strong and future-proof revenue stream aligned with the Indian government’s EV vision.