CASE STUDIES
Preparing an EV infrastructure charging business plan

Client: FTSE 100 corporate

THE CHALLENGE

The client needed to develop a strategy and business plan for an electric vehicles charging business in order to gain funding from internal investment committee and launch the service proposition. They needed a partner who could fully examine a market, map the landscape and then work with the executive team to identify business models for the initiative.

THE OUTCOME

Based on the analysis, the business strategy was adopted and funded by the client and the Electric Vehicles charging business proposition has now been launched onto the market.

CLT supported the client to raise internal investment to launch new services into the UK charging infrastructure market.

CLT worked with the client to initially investigate the current market. This involved identifying charging requirements and gaps in the market for each customer segment and building a forecast of infrastructure required to support the projected growth in electric vehicles. Based on market interviews and research, CLT then analysed the existing charging solution providers and developed a landscape analysis of these players and the services they provide along the value chain. As part of this process, CLT identified the range of business models used by existing players, including identifying innovative approaches both in the UK and in other markets.

CLT then led a workshop to generate new business model ideas, based on the outcomes of the market investigation. One of the business ideas identified was to provide charging solutions into the workplace. The key challenges that the business model had to address were the high capital cost and complexity for companies of installing chargers. CLT worked with the client to develop two business model options, both of which reduced to zero the up-front capital cost to the workplace. One was a fully outsourced service option with a flat monthly payment by the workplace over the course of a contract. The second was an energy resale option, with the client using sales of energy directly to employees to cover the cost of the charger at no direct cost to the workplace.

A number of future business models are planned once more infrastructure is established, for example bundling with domestic or public charging for individuals, or installation of energy storage alongside EV charging to manage energy costs.

The work concluded with the development of a financial analysis to evaluate the business models’ return on investment and to establish which parts of the value chain the client would deliver themselves, and where they will work with partners.

A business plan was written, along with a presentation. The plan successfully gained funding for launch of the business.