Improving Charger Utilization for CPOs

Location Analytics

Bad location is the top reason for low utilization. Before installing a charger, analyze the location using data: EV registration density in the area, foot traffic patterns, proximity to highways and major roads, and the presence of competing chargers. After installation, track actual utilization by time of day and day of week to understand usage patterns.

If a charger consistently underperforms, relocating it to a better site may be more profitable than waiting for demand to materialize. Some CPOs deploy mobile chargers or trailer-mounted units to test locations before committing to permanent installations.

Pricing Optimization

Static pricing leaves money on the table and suppresses demand simultaneously. During peak hours when chargers are full, prices should be higher. During off-peak hours when chargers sit idle, lower prices attract price-sensitive users who would otherwise charge at home.

• Time-of-day pricing: higher rates during peak hours, lower during off-peak
• Subscription models for regular users (monthly pass with discounted per-kWh rate)
• Fleet pricing for ride-hailing and delivery partners
• Promotional pricing during the first months at a new location to build a user base

Demand-Based Expansion

Adding more chargers at underutilized locations makes the problem worse. Adding chargers at locations that are consistently at 70%+ utilization captures unserved demand. Use your backend data to identify locations where drivers are waiting for available chargers or where session durations are being cut short. Those are your expansion sites.

Expanding a high-utilization site is also cheaper per charger because the shared infrastructure (trenching, main cables, electrical panel) is already in place.

Marketing and Partnerships

Your chargers need to be discoverable. List them on all major EV charging apps and aggregator platforms. Accurate real-time availability data drives traffic. Dead listings with permanently "available" status (because the charger is actually offline) destroy credibility.

Partnership with local businesses is mutually beneficial. A restaurant with a charger gets customers who stay longer. A charger at a restaurant gets higher utilization from the restaurant's foot traffic. Co-marketing arrangements, loyalty programs, and bundled offers bring in users who would not find you through a charging app alone. RIOD's OCPP-compliant chargers integrate with all major aggregator platforms, ensuring maximum visibility for your network.