Home / Solutions / Retail Parking EV Charging
EV charging is the amenity shoppers and tenants now expect from retail parking. Deploy roaming-enabled retail EV charging that increases dwell time, basket size and lease renewal rates across shopping centres, supermarkets and commercial car parks.
Challenges
42% of shoppers arriving by car at major retail centres now drive EVs or PHEVs. 28% say charger availability influences their choice of shopping destination. Retail properties without charging are losing footfall to competitors.
Without charging, EV-driving shoppers cut visits short to preserve range. With reliable destination charging, EV drivers stay 19% longer than ICE drivers — directly increasing average basket size and F&B spend.
Anchor tenants — supermarkets, home furnishings, gym chains — are writing EV charging provision into lease renewal conditions. Losing a single anchor tenant over charging infrastructure can cost millions in lost rent over a 5-year term.
Shoppers use multiple charging networks and apps. Without OCPI roaming integration, your chargers are invisible to drivers on major networks — they will not find your charging bays and will not choose your retail property.
Drivers expect to pay the same way they pay for parking — contactless card, Apple Pay, or their existing charging network app. Chargers that require a separate proprietary app or QR-sign-up flow create friction and reduce usage.
Shoppers need 1-2 hours of AC charging (sufficient for top-up while shopping). Staff and long-stay parkers need full-day charging. Cinema and restaurant visitors need 2-3 hours. One charger type cannot serve every use case optimally.
Recommended Chargers
A three-tier line-up that matches shopper dwell time: AC for all-day bays, 20–40 kW DC for short visits, and 60–80 kW DC where turnover matters most. All support OCPP management and multi-method payment.
| Charger | Power | Best For | Why We Recommend It | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7–22 kW AC Charging Pile View specifications → | 7–22 kW AC | Shopper parking bays with 1–3 hour dwell time | The lowest cost per bay for retail parking, with IP65 protection and OCPP 1.6J management for open-air and multi-level car parks; deploy per-bay units or share one unit across two bays with a dual-gun build. | $179/unit |
| 20–40 kW DC Charging Pile View specifications → | 20–40 kW DC | Grocery, gym and mid-length visits of 30–60 minutes | The lowest-risk first step into DC fast charging: it adds meaningful range during a short visit without the grid upgrade and peak demand charges a 60 kW+ unit can trigger, and its adaptive DC 200–1,000 V output covers standard and high-voltage EVs. | Request quote |
| 60–80 kW DC Charging Pile View specifications → | 60–80 kW DC | High-turnover bays near main entrances and anchor tenants | For cinema, gym and short-stay visitors, 60–80 kW delivers a fast top-up in under an hour and keeps the bay turning over; QR, card, password and VIN startup plus 4G/Ethernet connectivity fit a self-service retail car park. | $3,200/unit |
7–22 kW AC Charging Pile
7–22 kW ACBest For
Shopper parking bays with 1–3 hour dwell time
Why We Recommend It
The lowest cost per bay for retail parking, with IP65 protection and OCPP 1.6J management for open-air and multi-level car parks; deploy per-bay units or share one unit across two bays with a dual-gun build.
20–40 kW DC Charging Pile
20–40 kW DCBest For
Grocery, gym and mid-length visits of 30–60 minutes
Why We Recommend It
The lowest-risk first step into DC fast charging: it adds meaningful range during a short visit without the grid upgrade and peak demand charges a 60 kW+ unit can trigger, and its adaptive DC 200–1,000 V output covers standard and high-voltage EVs.
60–80 kW DC Charging Pile
60–80 kW DCBest For
High-turnover bays near main entrances and anchor tenants
Why We Recommend It
For cinema, gym and short-stay visitors, 60–80 kW delivers a fast top-up in under an hour and keeps the bay turning over; QR, card, password and VIN startup plus 4G/Ethernet connectivity fit a self-service retail car park.
Proven Results
"OCPI roaming was non-negotiable. Dutch drivers expect to use their existing app — they will not download a new one for a shopping centre charger. Within three months, 58% of our sessions were roaming-authenticated." — Property Director, CityPark Retail Centres
Read Full Case Study →340+
Peak Daily Sessions
19%
Longer Dwell Time
8%
Higher Avg. Spend
58%
Roaming Adoption
Investment Returns
Retail charging ROI comes from charging revenue, increased shopper spend from longer visits, and lease retention value from anchor tenants. The combined return typically delivers payback within 2-3 years.
10–30 shops, surface parking
12× AC 7kW Dual-Gun (24 bays)
$20,000 – $35,000
$14,000 – $22,000/year
24–30 months
50–100 tenants, multi-level parking
40× AC 7kW Dual-Gun + 4× DC 80kW
$75,000 – $120,000
$55,000 – $85,000/year
20–30 months
100+ tenants, cinema, dining precinct
80× AC 7kW Dual-Gun + 8× DC 80kW
$150,000 – $240,000
$110,000 – $170,000/year
18–28 months
Guides
Related Guide
Commercial EV Charger Guide: Types, Costs and How to Choose
Read the commercial charger guide →Related Guide
EV Charger Hub Profitability: The Complete 2026 Operator’s Guide
Read the hub profitability guide →Related Guide
DC vs AC EV Charging: Commercial Buyer’s Guide
Read the DC vs AC charging guide →FAQ
The configuration drives the figure. Planning estimates on this page: a neighbourhood retail site with 10–30 shops runs roughly $20,000–$35,000 for 12× dual-gun AC 7 kW chargers covering 24 bays; a 50–100 tenant shopping centre with multi-level parking runs $75,000–$120,000 for 40× dual-gun AC 7 kW plus 4× DC 80 kW; and a regional mall with 100+ tenants, cinema and dining precinct runs $150,000–$240,000 for 80× dual-gun AC 7 kW plus 8× DC 80 kW.
If you want drivers to find and use your bays, yes. Shoppers already hold accounts with multiple charging networks, and OCPI roaming publishes your chargers to those networks and apps so a driver can start a session and pay without downloading another app or scanning a separate sign-up QR code. Without roaming, your bays stay invisible to most of the EV drivers passing your centre.
Destination charging is sized around the shopping trip rather than a full battery. One to two hours at 7 kW covers a typical top-up, while 80 kW DC chargers serve visitors who only need 20–30 minutes. Because the bays remove range anxiety, EV drivers stay about 19% longer than ICE drivers — dwell time that converts into basket size and F&B spend.
Tell us about your retail property — number of parking bays, tenant mix, and target shopper profile. We'll design a roaming-enabled charging solution that fits your car park and budget.