^{Power Struggle: The Real Cost of Building an EV Charging Network}

The electric vehicle revolution is accelerating, but behind every seamless charging experience lies a complex web of challenges that most drivers never see. From site selection to seven-year payback periods, building a public charging network requires patience, precision, and deep pockets.

In the latest episode of Auto Futurecast, Chris speaks to Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, who offers a rare glimpse into what it actually takes to build charging infrastructure from the ground up. The company has grown from a start-up idea in 2021 to managing networks across Greater Manchester and beyond, backed by £110 million from Octopus Energy Generation.

But as Asif reveals, success in this space isn't just about installing chargers, it's about understanding human behaviour, obsessing over details, and playing the ultimate long game.

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The Science Behind Site Selection

"We spend a huge amount of time in car parks, watching people charge," Asif explains. This hands-on approach reflects a fundamental truth about EV infrastructure: location isn't just about convenience, it's about integrating charging into people's existing routines.

Be.EV's strategy focuses on consumer-facing locations where people naturally spend time. Retail parks, drive-throughs, and amenity stops all feature in their site selection criteria. But there's considerable science behind these choices, incorporating data on current EV ownership patterns, fleet movements, and future adoption projections.

The process involves lengthy lease agreements (typically 20-25 years) and up to two years of development time before a site becomes operational. Each location requires careful analysis of power infrastructure, planning permissions, and customer flow patterns.

"We stayed very local in Greater Manchester for the first year because I wanted to prove to myself and my team that we can actually not just get a site, but build a site, bring power to the site, get the planning and get that site up and running," Asif explains. This methodical approach to expansion reflects the infrastructure nature of the business.

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The User Experience Revolution

Early EV adopters were enthusiastic conversationalists, happy to chat about their vehicles whilst charging. Today's mainstream customers have different expectations, they want to charge and go, without complications or lengthy explanations.

This shift demands obsessive attention to user experience details. Everything from signage and cable management to payment systems requires constant refinement. Asif's team regularly observes customer behaviour, identifying friction points that could derail the charging experience.

Payment options illustrate this complexity. Be.EV supports contactless, app-based payments, and roaming partners. They're even reintroducing chip and pin after discovering that contactless payments sometimes fail due to banking issues beyond their control.

"We're trying to make it as simple as possible for that consumer," Asif emphasises. "Some people just don't want to use the app at all."

The company is working toward auto-charge technology, which would eliminate payment friction entirely. However, this requires close collaboration with vehicle manufacturers, another example of the industry's interconnected challenges.

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Rethinking the Charging Experience

Be.EV's latest project, the Charging Oasis in Manchester, represents a departure from traditional petrol station design. The company purchased land and brought in architect Ed Lipton to create a circular layout that maximises vehicle capacity while providing safer, more spacious customer areas.

"The experience of charging your vehicle is longer, so we thought about planting, about regeneration, about design and aesthetics. It isn't just a petrol station," Asif explains.

This approach recognises that charging times create different customer behaviours. People might walk dogs, supervise children, or simply need space to move around during longer charging sessions. The circular design eliminates vehicle movements near charging bays, creating safer environments for families.

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The Numbers Game: Building a Sustainable Business

The economics of charging infrastructure require patient capital and long-term thinking. Be.EV's model involves lease agreements spanning decades, construction costs between £500,000 and £1 million per site, and an average seven-year payback period.

"When you've got 4% (of vehicles being EVs on the road), you're not expecting huge amounts of demand. But when it gets to 30%, we are expecting huge amounts of demand," Asif notes.

This creates a classic infrastructure dilemma: building capacity before demand materialises. The company maintains a lean operational model with 30-40 core staff, outsourcing construction, maintenance, and back-office functions to manage costs during the growth phase.

Demand forecasting relies heavily on EV adoption projections, making government policy stability crucial. "The best way to stop that investment is to keep fiddling with some of the outcomes," Asif warns, referring to policy changes that affect industry confidence.

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Market Consolidation on the Horizon

The UK currently hosts approximately 150 charging point operators, a fragmentation that Asif believes is unsustainable. Market consolidation appears inevitable, with several operators already seeking buyers and others struggling to secure necessary funding.

"We're beginning to see a few operators who have won tenders but don't have the capital to actually build them," Asif observes. Some companies have secured retail park contracts without the funding to install infrastructure, hoping to use these agreements to attract investment.

Be.EV took the opposite approach, securing funding before site acquisition. This strategy provides greater stability but requires investors who understand the long-term nature of infrastructure investments.

The consolidation process faces technical challenges beyond simple acquisition. Different operators use incompatible systems, making integration complex and expensive. However, recent government standardisation requirements should ease some of these barriers.

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Looking Ahead: The Future of Charging Infrastructure

Asif envisions a future where every major road junction features some form of amenity and charging infrastructure. Traditional motorway service stations lack the land and power capacity to meet future demand, creating opportunities for new charging destinations.

The push toward frictionless charging continues, with automatic charging systems that eliminate the need for apps, accounts, or physical payment interactions. Vehicle integration will be crucial for these developments.

Despite the technical and business challenges, Asif emphasises the original environmental mission: "We started on this journey to really try and clean the air we breathe. Road traffic is the main contributor, and (EVs are) a way to actually be able to remove a lot of harmful emissions."

As the EV transition accelerates, infrastructure providers like Be.EV are laying the foundations for a cleaner transport future. Their experience demonstrates that success requires more than just installing chargers, it demands understanding customer behaviour, maintaining long-term vision, and obsessing over the details that make charging as simple as filling up with petrol.

The infrastructure challenge is complex, but for companies willing to play the long game, the opportunities are substantial. As Asif experience shows, building the future of transport infrastructure requires patience, precision, and unwavering focus on customer needs.

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