As electric vehicle adoption accelerates across the UK, shopping centres are under growing pressure to offer high-quality charging infrastructure. EV drivers spend time charging, increasing footfall, dwell time, and retail spend. For landlords, EV charging adds a modern amenity, strengthens tenant mix, and enhances ESG credentials—especially in London and other urban hubs where sustainability is a key competitive differentiator.
Fraser Bond partners with owners, asset managers, and developers to structure EV charging infrastructure in retail environments, balancing technical, commercial, and operational considerations.
Landlords lease bays or parking zones to a Charge Point Operator (CPO), who manages installation, maintenance, and billing. The landlord earns a share of revenue or fixed rent.
The landlord co-invests in infrastructure, allowing greater upside. The CPO handles operations, while the landlord retains partial ownership and revenue share.
The owner funds and manages charging infrastructure. Suitable where control over pricing and operations is key—but also the riskiest model.
Individual retailers request chargers adjacent to their stores; the landlord provides infrastructure or lease rights under structured agreements.
Electrical Capacity & DNO Engagement
Early site analysis and forecasts of demand are crucial. Large charger installations often require grid upgrades or dedicated circuits.
Parking Layout & User Access
Design dedicated EV bays, cable routing, signage, and traffic flow without compromising retail parking yield.
Interoperability & Payment Systems
Select providers supporting roaming, multiple payment options, and app integration for ease of user experience.
Scalable & Modular Design
Start with a scalable base installation and expand as demand grows; provision conduits for future chargers.
Uptime & Service Levels
Establish service-level agreements (SLAs) including maintenance response times and minimum availability.
Planning & Permitting
Depending on site context, planning or building consents may be required—especially for canopy, electrical, or structural changes.
Revenue & Monetisation Strategy
Determine rent, revenue share, or hybrid models depending on footfall, dwell, and charging use.
Savills Retail Research: EV charging is now listed among the top differentiators for retail destinations.
Rent Expectations: In prime retail settings, landlords may aim for £3,000–£5,000 per charger per year, indexed for inflation.
Operator Examples: Networks like BP Pulse, Osprey, InstaVolt, and EO Charging have already activated charging bays in shopping centre car parks across the UK.
Retail landlord partnerships: Some shopping centre operators now integrate EV charging into their leasing strategy for anchor tenants and visitors.
Underutilisation / revenue shortfall
Conduct demand modelling, pilot phases, and flexible revenue share agreements.
Grid upgrade cost overruns
Negotiate cost-sharing or phased network build-out with DNO involvement.
Rapid technology change
Include clauses for upgrades, modular expansion, and future-proof hardware.
Tenant conflict & parking yield erosion
Define delineation between EV bays and general parking; use dynamic allocations if needed.
Lease obligations & redevelopment risk
Include break clauses, relocation or “lift-and-shift” rights in chargers when sites redevelop.
Fraser Bond works with shopping centre owners and developers to deliver EV charger infrastructure projects that align with retail strategy:
Feasibility & Demand Analysis
Forecast charger usage, parking demand, footfall synergy, and revenue projections.
Operator Selection & Negotiation
Identify CPOs with retail experience and negotiate terms protecting landlord upside.
Technical & Permitting Support
Oversee electrical design, DNO coordination, planning, and building compliance.
Commercial Structuring
Draft revenue share leases, performance metrics, and escalation protocols.
Rollout & Expansion Strategy
Roll out in phases; prepare for scale across multiple shopping centres in a portfolio.
To explore EV charging station setup for your shopping centre in London or elsewhere in the UK, reach out via FraserBond.com for bespoke advisory and project management.
