Rapid charger finance
Funding for DC rapid and ultra-rapid charging hardware on forecourts, depots and destination sites, where grid connection often drives the whole project.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a rapid charger?
Yes, though rapid charging is a project rather than a purchase. The DC units themselves are substantial pieces of power electronics with real second-hand value, which funders like. The difficulty is everything around them: the grid connection, the transformer, the switchgear and the civils frequently cost more than the chargers and cannot be recovered from the ground. Because sites are usually developed for revenue, several funders will assess projected and contracted charging income alongside your accounts. Land ownership and a long site tenure matter a great deal here.
Used kit: Yes. Ex-network DC units with service history and available spares do get funded, though obsolete connector standards and unsupported firmware are usually declined.
Get a quoteor call 07581 364281
What would a rapid charger cost per month?
Business asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what this shows — with the equivalent APR underneath, because the two are not the same number. A quick guide only; your actual rate depends on the asset, term, deposit and lender.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 6.0% flat rate (equivalent to 11.5% APR representative), you would repay around £646 a month; total amount repayable approximately £31,000, of which £6,000 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval. CW Asset Finance is an Appointed Representative of Rural Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630701).
How lenders treat it
Rapid charging splits cleanly into fundable hardware and unfundable ground. A liquid-cooled DC unit from a recognised manufacturer is identifiable, removable and has a genuine resale market, so funders will lend against it with reasonable confidence. The substation, ducting, hardstanding and cable runs are improvements to land and disappear from any recovery calculation. That leaves tenure as a make-or-break issue: leasehold forecourts need a long unexpired term and a landlord waiver before most funders will engage. This is also the corner of the market where income underwriting genuinely happens — where you hold a charge point operator agreement or a fleet usage contract, the revenue attached to it can be assessed as part of the case.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Kempower Satellite | Modular DC rapid charging satellite |
| Kempower Power Unit cabinet | Shared power cabinet for DC charging |
| Kempower Movable Charger | Relocatable DC fast charger |
| ABB Terra 184 | High power DC rapid charger |
| ABB Terra HP charger | Liquid cooled ultra-rapid charger |
| Alpitronic Hypercharger HYC300 | Ultra-rapid DC charging unit |
| Tritium PKM150 | Compact DC rapid charger |
| ABB Terra 124 dual standard charger | CCS and CHAdeMO rapid charger |
| Kempower ChargEye management platform | Charging network monitoring software |
| Containerised DC power cabinet and substation | Site power upgrade and switchgear |
Get a quoteor call 07581 364281
Who buys one
Forecourt operators replacing declining fuel margin, hauliers and bus operators electrifying depots, roadside hospitality adding destination charging, and charge point operators building out a network. The trigger is commonly a grid connection offer with a limited acceptance window, or fleet vehicles arriving before the infrastructure to run them exists. These are considered capital projects with board sign-off, not impulse purchases.
Get a quoteor call 07581 364281
How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Rapid charger finance questions
Can the grid connection cost be financed?
Sometimes, as part of the wider project, but funders treat it as sunk land improvement rather than as an asset. Expect the connection element to be viewed more conservatively than the chargers, and expect questions about whether the distribution network operator quote is firm or indicative before anything is approved.
Is charging revenue taken into account?
More so here than anywhere else in renewables. Because rapid charging exists to earn money, funders who specialise in the sector will look at utilisation assumptions, tariff and any contracted offtake. Signed agreements carry weight; a spreadsheet forecast on a greenfield site will not carry an application on its own.
Do I need to own the forecourt or depot?
Not necessarily, but you need secure occupation for the long term. A rapid charging hub is an expensive commitment to one location, and a funder will want to see an unexpired lease term that comfortably covers the agreement, along with landlord consent to the works and a waiver over the equipment.
Can I finance the chargers before the civils are complete?
Funders normally pay on delivery and commissioning rather than on order, so the practical answer is that money follows the installation. Staged projects can sometimes be handled with separate agreements for distinct phases. Talk to us about the programme before the installer asks for money up front.
What happens if charging standards change?
It is a real risk and funders think about it, which is why they prefer units from manufacturers with a track record of firmware support and upgradeable dispensers. Your payments do not change, but obsolescence risk is one reason appetite concentrates around a handful of well-supported brands.
Get a quoteor call 07581 364281
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Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Get your quote
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 07581 364281 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.