Why an overnight stay suits a 22kW charger
A hotel guest parks in the evening and leaves after breakfast. That is the longest, most reliable dwell time any business can offer a driver.
At 11kW, the most common three-phase limit, a car adds roughly 37 miles of range an hour. At 7.4kW it is around 25 miles an hour (LGA, derived using Zapmap's efficiency figure). The average usable battery is 73.4kWh (EV Database), so a night on the charger fills almost any car.
That is why hotels don't need expensive rapid chargers. Slow, steady AC charging overnight does the job.
Good to know: Only a few cars accept the full 22kW on AC, such as the Renault Zoe ZE50 and some Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT and Mercedes EQS/EQE trims (bestchargers.co.uk). The car decides the speed. Our 7kW vs 22kW guide explains why 22kW sockets still make sense.
What guests are looking for
Drivers check for charging before they book. SMS plc surveyed more than 1,000 UK EV drivers. 48% said they would not stay at a hotel without onsite charging, and 67% said charging influences their choice (SMS plc via Travolution).
Hilton reports that EV charging is the highest-converting amenity on Hilton.com, ahead of pools and free breakfast (Skift).
The booking sites make the choice easy. Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb all let travellers filter for EV charging (NerdWallet). If you don't have it, you drop out of those results. Our guide to getting listed on Zapmap and booking sites covers what to update once the charger is live.
Closer to home, The Highfield Hotel, a family-run hotel off the A690 at East Rainton, has seen more bookings and more guests in its bar and restaurant since its charger went in.
How a Victus install works at a hotel
Where the charger goes
We survey the car park and the supply together. The pedestal usually goes on the two bays nearest a sensible cable route from your distribution board, where it is lit and visible from reception.
It stands about 1.4m tall with two Type 2 sockets, so two cars charge at once. It is rated from -30°C to +55°C, which covers any North East winter.
Guests only, or open to the public
This is the first decision we talk through. Many hotels have a bar or restaurant that non-residents use, and opening the charger to them brings extra trade and extra kWh.
The Public Charge Point Regulations apply to hotel car parks the public can access, including chargers limited to customers. New public chargers of 8kW and above need contactless payment, and prices must be shown in pence per kWh.
The guidance does not say whether a strictly guest-only charger counts as public. Check the current guidance before you rely on either reading. Our regulations guide sets out the main duties.
Payments and who pays for the power
Drivers start a session with the app or an RFID card. RFID cards can sit at reception for guests who don't want another app. A contactless card terminal can be added where the site needs card payment.
The same survey found 43% of drivers would like charging on their final bill, and 31% expect it to be free or in the room rate. If either matters to your guests, raise it at survey and we'll set out what's practical.
The electricity comes through your supply. The charger's built-in metering records every kWh, so the power cost is clear when takings are reconciled.
Idle fees and load
Overnight, idle fees rarely make sense. A guest asleep at 2am can't move their car. We usually leave them off at hotels, or apply them only in daytime hours if the bays get busy with non-residents.
If your supply is tight, the charger's optional dynamic load balancing lets it share capacity with the kitchen and laundry. It backs off when the building needs power and ramps up when demand drops.
Which package suits a hotel
Shared Investment suits most independent hotels. You pay for installation and groundworks, we supply the charger and run payments, back office, monitoring, maintenance and driver support, and the revenue is shared. The revenue split is agreed for your site at proposal stage.
That is not free charging infrastructure, and we won't call it that. It suits owners who want a working amenity without running a charging business on the side.
Hotels that want the full return choose Owned & Managed. You buy the chargers and installation, keep all the profit, and can still pay us to run setup, payments, monitoring and maintenance. Compare both on the packages page.
Owned & Managed also brings a tax question. Chargepoint equipment qualifies for a 100% first-year capital allowance until 31 March 2027 for Corporation Tax (HMRC). Check with your accountant how it applies to you.
Honest caveats
- Two cars at a time. One pedestal serves two bays. If several EV guests arrive on the same night, you'll want a second pedestal or a fair-use rule.
- The grid sets the pace. We apply to Northern Powergrid for you. Small additions can use connect and notify; larger ones need approval first, and that can add weeks. Our grid capacity guide explains the thresholds.
- Listed buildings. Permitted development for equipment housings excludes the curtilage of a listed building, so some period hotels will need a planning conversation.
- Takings vary. Usage depends on your guest mix and where you are. Our revenue estimator shows the working and lets you change every assumption.
Next step
Book a free site survey and we'll check your supply, pick the bays and set out both packages for your hotel. If you'd rather start with numbers, try the revenue estimator or email hello@victuscharging.com.