What are the requirements for joining a new energy vehicle charging pile franchise?
3 Answers
To join a new energy vehicle charging pile franchise, you need to determine the brand; apply for the franchise; negotiate cooperation; and sign the contract and pay the fees. Determine the brand: Since there are many brands of vehicle charging piles, you should choose a suitable brand project for investment based on your financial situation, development plan, and the brand's market positioning and investment threshold. Franchise application: After determining your intention, fill out the application form truthfully and submit it for review by the headquarters. Ensure the information is accurate, including the franchise region, investment amount, personal information, and credit status. Negotiate cooperation: After the headquarters reviews your qualifications and confirms you meet the requirements, both parties need to negotiate, mainly to determine policy support, fee standards, and regional authorization. Sign the contract and pay the fees: Once both parties reach an agreement, you can sign the contract and pay the fees, formally establishing the cooperative relationship. You will enjoy the right to use the brand trademark, and the headquarters will assist in building a marketing team.
Last month I just joined a charging pile brand franchise, and here are the preparations needed: First, secure the location—you’ll need at least a few fixed parking spots as installation points, with ground parking areas in malls or residential complexes being ideal. Funding must be in place, as the initial franchise fee plus equipment procurement will require around 200,000 RMB, though requirements vary significantly by brand. Personal qualifications must also be complete, including a basic business license, and now new regulations also require a charging pile safety management certificate. Additionally, you’ll need a service team—you don’t have to handle technical repairs yourself but must coordinate customer service to address user issues. The brand usually evaluates local market demand, so a preliminary research report is necessary. Finally, grid capacity expansion coordination must be arranged early; otherwise, even if the equipment arrives, installation won’t be possible.
When our group of partners were investigating charging pile franchising, we found the barriers to entry are quite high: The primary requirement is site resources, meaning parking areas with access to power supply, such as commercial plazas with power distribution rooms in their parking lots, are ideal. The financial pressure is significant—equipment procurement and construction costs depend on the scale of the site, and starting from 200,000 RMB is quite common. Operational qualifications have become stricter now, requiring both a business license and construction power installation certifications. Operational maintenance capability is also crucial; simply selling equipment isn’t enough, as response speed to malfunctions directly impacts user experience. Franchisees must also evaluate brand support—good brands provide user traffic platforms and technical training, otherwise, going solo makes survival difficult. Additionally, local policies must be thoroughly researched, as factors like subsidy policies and peak/off-peak electricity pricing for charging directly affect profit margins.
