Charging at 1 cent is not a long-term solution. Millions of dollars invested with little profit. Charging station efficiency becomes a new issue in the industry

With the rapid popularization of electric vehicles, the construction of charging stations in China has also shown "China speed". However, according to CCTV reports, the utilization rate of shared charging piles in the market is generally not up to expectations. In some areas, due to the low utilization rate of charging piles, operators have to adopt a strategy of low prices to attract customers.

Data shows that the average utilization rate of single charging piles in 22 of the 25 major cities in the country is less than 10%. The average utilization rate of single charging piles in cities such as Jinan, Shenzhen and Shanghai is even only 3%.

Industry insiders revealed that the shared charging pile industry has launched a price war, and charging pile operators in many cities have had to use low prices to attract customers. Shandong, Shaanxi and other provinces have also seen a "1 cent charging" subsidy war, which has triggered protests from some companies and even been interviewed by local industry associations.

Not only that, attracted by the wave of automobile electrification, various capitals are still rushing into the charging pile track. Although the industry is still in the stage of losing money in construction and operation, there are still many new players entering the market.

According to statistics, an average of 32,000 new charging piles were added each month in the country over the past year. There are now 950,000 public charging piles of various types, including 383,000 DC charging piles and 567,000 AC charging piles.

Among them, the top eleven charging operators accounted for 91.6% of the total, including Teladian with 223,000 units, Xingxing Charging with 210,000 units, State Grid with 196,000 units, Yunkuai Charging with 78,000 units, China Southern Power Grid with 41,000 units, Ewi Energy with 31,000 units, Hui Charging with 22,000 units, SAIC Anyue with 21,000 units, China Putian with 17,000 units, Shenzhen Auto Power Network with 16,000 units, and Wanma Ai Charging with 16,000 units.

Although the construction speed and quantity can indeed be called "China speed", the profitability of public charging piles is still questioned compared with the high construction costs. A person in charge of a charging operation company said that compared with the seven-digit investment in charging pile construction, the profit can only be a few cents.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.