How to compare two EV charging offers for your commercial property
Compare the terms of each electric vehicle (EV) charging offer before you compare the chargers. Put both offers on one page and check who pays to build, how you earn, who sets the price drivers pay, who pays for power and upgrades, and how you get out. The charger brand comes last.
In 2026 I worked with a commercial property owner in CALABARZON who had two offers on the table, from two DOE (Department of Energy) accredited Providers. Neither revenue share was one the owner could accept. The owner also had a very specific requirement for how they could exit the agreement, and neither offer met it. So both offers were turned down, and the EV charging plan is on hold for now.
I don't see that as a bad result. The owner knew what the property needed, and could see clearly that neither offer gave it. Saying no on clear grounds is better than signing a long agreement and finding the problem in year three.
It's easy to compare offers on the wrong things: the charger model, the brochure, the monthly figure in the first email.
Start from what your property needs
In an earlier article (Why EV Infrastructure May Need an Independent Decision Layer, 17 September 2026) I wrote about separating diagnosis from treatment: first work out what the property needs, then decide who should provide it. Comparing offers is where that pays off.
Before you line up two offers, write down your own answers. How many parking slots can you give up, and for how long? Who parks there today? How long do visitors stay? Do you want income with no work, or more income with more involvement? Do you want the option to own the chargers one day?
If you skip this, each Provider sizes the project to its own model, and you end up comparing two different projects.
Name the model behind each offer
Most offers fit one of five deployment models. Name it before you read the numbers.
- You own it. You pay for the chargers and installation, keep all of the margin, and carry all of the risk.
- Zero capital expenditure. The Provider pays to build and gives you a fixed rent or a share of revenue.
- Charge point operator. The Provider builds and runs everything, and you receive a share, usually smaller, with no involvement.
- Hybrid. You split the cost, the income and the risk in a way you negotiate.
- Equipment lease. You pay the Provider a fixed monthly amount for a set number of months, and the Provider runs the chargers. After that payment, all of the site's margin is yours. If the chargers are quiet, you still pay. More than one Provider I spoke with at the Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit in October 2026 offers it.
Two offers under different models can't be judged on the monthly figure alone. A fixed rent, a revenue share and a monthly lease payment carry very different risks for you.
Put the same questions to both offers
Ask each Provider the same questions, in writing, and put the answers side by side.
- Who owns the chargers, during the agreement and at the end of it? If it's a lease, can you buy them at the end, and at what price?
- Fixed rent or a share of revenue? If it's a share, how does the agreement define "revenue"? A share of what drivers pay is very different from a share of what's left after electricity and fees.
- Who sets the price drivers pay, and who can change it later? In our Policy Brief No. 01 (8 August 2026) I pointed out that host agreements often leave pricing decisions with the Provider.
- Who pays the power bill, is there a separate meter, and who pays any demand charge?
- If the site needs a grid or transformer upgrade, who pays for it, and is that in the contract? The Provider's licensed engineers are the ones who confirm the power at your site, so ask for their findings in writing.
- How long is the term? How can you end it early, what does that cost, and who removes the equipment at the end?
- How many parking slots are set aside, for how many years, and can other cars use them?
If one offer answers a question and the other doesn't, that gap is your answer for now. Ask again before you go further.
Our Host Agreement Checklist puts these questions on one page you can print or send to each Provider.
Warning signs to slow down on
Be careful with any revenue figure you're shown before anyone has looked at your site. Earnings depend mostly on how often the chargers are used, and two identical chargers on two properties can earn very different amounts.
Also slow down when the answers on pricing control or exit come back vague, or when you're asked to sign soon after a free assessment. A good Provider will give you time and put its answers in writing.
When neither offer fits
That's what happened to the owner above, and it's a valid outcome. You can go back to the Providers with your terms, ask a third Provider, or wait. You can choose from more than one DOE-accredited Provider in CALABARZON, and the DOE list keeps growing.
Get your offers looked at from your side
I run ZEEE Green Business Consultancy, an independent EV charging advisor based in Santo Tomas, Batangas, serving commercial property owners across CALABARZON. We assess whether a property suits EV charging and advise owners on how to plan and evaluate their charging options, including DOE-accredited charging Providers. We don't sell, install or operate chargers, and we don't broker, lease or sell property.
If you own a commercial property in CALABARZON and have an offer on the table, or expect one, book a free site screening (limited slots each month) or call +63 993 208 7891. Our EV Charging Guide explains all five models in more detail, in the chapter How property owners earn from EV charging.
This article is general guidance and not legal advice, so have a lawyer read any agreement before you sign it.