Public EV Charging Station Installation in Perth
ChargingWA installs public EV charging stations at Perth shopping centres, hotels and car parks, and Exploren pays you the charging fees each month, less its software fee.
For shopping centres, hotels, accommodation providers and commercial sites that want to turn a section of carpark into a revenue stream. ChargingWA designs, installs and supports the whole setup: hardware, software, payments and ongoing service, right here in WA.
5.0Google ratingThinking About Adding Public Charging To Your Site?
Book a site assessment with our local Perth team. We'll look at your power supply, traffic patterns and site layout, then give you a realistic picture of what the installation would cost and what it could earn.
Get Your Public Charging Quote
How We Install a Public Charging Station
From the first call to chargers drivers can pay at, we handle the design, installation and setup.
Initial Enquiry
You can reach out to us by phone, referral, or form, and we'll set up a quick call to understand your site, goals, and charging needs. Whether you're a fleet operator, developer, landlord, or council, we'll point you in the right direction from day one.
Site Visit
We assess the site with a commercial lens covering:
- Power availability
- Charger types and number
- Use case (fleet, public, private access)
- Idle time vs. charging speed
- Infrastructure requirements (bollards, bay painting, signage, etc.)
Solution Design
We develop one or two options to suit your site, based on:
- Your goals
- Budget
- Scalability
- Installation timelines
Proposal
You receive a full, itemised proposal including:
- Installation timeline
- Charger and software options
- Ongoing software or subscription costs
- Warranty details
- Optional SLA tiers (Bronze / Silver / Gold)
Installation
Once approved, we lock in a schedule.
Commissioning & Handover
We don't just install; we fully commission the system. That means:
- Testing the charger
- Running through the software
- Providing documentation
- Training your team
- Your chargers, live and ready for drivers
What Installation Actually Costs
The same charger with the same output can cost anywhere from $60,000 to $120,000 installed. The hardware isn't the variable. The infrastructure is. Here's what drives the cost.
Proximity To Power
The closer the charger is to your existing power supply, the cheaper the install. Long cable runs, trenching through carparks or breaking through concrete adds significant cost.
Site Conditions
Underground services, surface type, access for trenching equipment and bay layout all affect labour and materials.
Hardware Spec
Charger output and number of bays drive the upfront product cost, but this is usually the smaller portion of the total spend.
For full detail on our installation process, site assessment and ongoing support, visit our Commercial EV Charger Installation page.
What A Public Charger Can Actually Earn
Revenue from a public charger comes down to two things: how fast it delivers power, and how many drivers it serves. Here's what the numbers look like in WA right now.
Putting power into cars and having lots of people come through. That's the key factor with public chargers.
40c / kWh
Typical AC charging rate in Perth
Cost to deliver ≈ 30c / kWh
65–70c / kWh
Typical DC fast charging rate in Perth
≈ 30c margin per kWh
$210 / day profit
Real example: busy shopping centre fast charger
20–25 sessions/day × 25–30 kWh per session
$10,000+ / month
Top-performing DC sites in Perth
High-traffic, high-power installations
Payback Period
Most public charger installations pay back in 4 to 8 years. The variable isn't the charger. It's the infrastructure. Sites with power available right next to the install point land at the shorter end. Sites that need trenching through carparks, underground concrete or long cable runs push toward the longer end.
Busy Doesn't Always Mean Profitable
A slow AC charger running all day can be "busy" and still earn a fraction of what a DC fast charger earns. AC units deliver power at one-fifth or one-sixth the rate of DC. Speed of energy delivered is what drives revenue, not session count alone.
Where Public Chargers Actually Pay Off
Not every site works. The best-performing locations have natural dwell time and something for drivers to do while they wait. Here's what works and what doesn't.
Sites That Work
- Shopping centres: drivers park for an hour to shop, plug in, walk away, come back to a topped-up car
- Hotels and motels: ideal for overnight AC charging while guests sleep
- Sites with 30–45 minutes of natural dwell time
- Locations near food, retail or activity
Sites That Flop
- Petrol stations: drivers are in and out in five minutes, won't sit for 30
- Sites with no food, retail or activity nearby
- Anywhere a driver wouldn't naturally spend 20+ minutes
- Hidden or hard-to-access locations with no signage
Anywhere where people don't want to sit in their car for twenty minutes, half an hour. They just don't. It doesn't work.
| Charger Type | Speed | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AC (11kW / 22kW) | Slow | Hotels, overnight parking | Not recommended for high-turnover public use |
| DC 50–60kW | Fast | Minimum spec for serious public charging | Good entry point |
| DC 120kW | Very fast | High-traffic shopping centres | Sweet spot for single-bay sites |
| DC 180kW | Very fast, dual bay | Premium sites with two-car simultaneous charging | Best ROI per unit footprint |
The Power Supply Question
A 180kW charger needs 250 amps three-phase power. Many sites don't have that. Power upgrades through Western Power can be slow and expensive, sometimes adding $10k+ and months of delay to a project. Matching the charger spec to your existing power supply is usually smarter than over-speccing and waiting for an upgrade.
It's best to align the charger speed with the available power you have on site, so you maximise the charger's output without worrying about a power upgrade.
From Driver's Tap To Your Bank Account
Once the charger is installed, the day-to-day operation runs itself. Here's how the money moves.
Drivers Find Your Charger
Step 1:
Your charger is automatically listed on PlugShare (the main driver-facing app), plus the Exploren app. Drivers see your location, speed and pricing before they arrive.
Drivers Pay In-App
Step 2:
Drivers create an account with Exploren, link a credit card, plug in and charge. No staff or hardware on your end.
Exploren Collects And Holds Funds
Step 3:
Payments are processed and held by Exploren throughout the month. Software fees come out of each transaction.
You Get Paid Monthly
Step 4:
At the end of each month, Exploren reconciles all sessions and pays you in a single lump sum with a full breakdown.
You Control The Pricing
Tariffs are set and changed by you, anytime, through the Exploren dashboard. Choose what suits your site:
- Flat rate per kWh
- Plug-in fee plus per-kWh rate
- Time-of-day pricing: discount off-peak to drive utilisation, premium at peak
It's set and forget. Owners don't have to collate and collect money. It just automatically happens for them.
Getting Drivers To Use Your Charger
Visibility is most of the job. Two things drive utilisation: being listed where drivers look, and being visible at the site.
App Listings (Handled For You)
- PlugShare: automatic listing
- Exploren app: automatic listing
- Google Maps: listed where applicable
- Driver-facing pricing, speed and availability shown in real time
On-Site Visibility (Your Side)
- Paint or wrap the wall behind the charger with "EV Fast Charging" branding
- Call out the kW speed (e.g. "150kW Fast Charging")
- Add bay markings and clear signage from carpark entry
- Make the chargers visible from the road if possible
WA Grants And Rebates
At the moment, there are no specific WA state or federal grants available to private operators installing public EV chargers. If that changes, we'll let our clients know. Tax treatment for commercial installations may apply. Speak to your accountant.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can a public ev charger actually earn?
It depends heavily on the site, but for context: a busy DC fast charger in a high-traffic shopping centre can deliver around $210 per day in profit (20–25 sessions, 25–30 kWh per session, at a 30c/kWh margin). The busiest sites in Perth are bringing in over $10,000 per month. Slower AC chargers earn less even when busy, because they deliver power at one-fifth to one-sixth the speed.
What kind of site works best for public charging?
Shopping centres, hotels with overnight stays, and any location where drivers naturally spend 30 minutes or more with something to do. Petrol stations and quick-stop sites generally don't work. Drivers won't sit there for half an hour.
What's the payback period on a public charger?
Typically 4 to 8 years, depending mostly on infrastructure cost. Sites with power close to the install point pay back fastest. Sites needing major trenching or power upgrades take longer.
Can I set my own pricing?
Yes. Through the Exploren dashboard you can set a flat per-kWh rate, a plug-in fee plus per-kWh, or time-of-day pricing. You can change tariffs anytime.
How do I get paid?
Drivers pay via the Exploren app. Exploren processes payments throughout the month, then pays you a single lump sum at month-end with a full reconciliation. No invoicing or collection on your side.
What speed of charger do I need?
For serious public use, 50kW DC is the minimum. 120–180kW is the sweet spot, but only if your site has the three-phase power to support it. AC chargers (11kW or 22kW) are generally too slow for high-turnover public charging.
Are there any wa grants available?
Currently, no specific WA state or federal grants exist for private operators installing public chargers. If that changes, we let our clients know.
Can the charger be installed anywhere on site?
Yes, but the closer to existing power, the lower the cost. Long cable runs and trenching through carparks or concrete can double the install cost, so siting matters as much as hardware selection.