Public investment in charging pile construction: Profit model is still not clear

The 1.7 yuan/fee standard, which was originally implemented in Hefei on March 1, has been postponed due to the questioning of new energy vehicle companies and consumers. Recently, a source said, in Hefei Price Bureau and the city Science and Technology Commission, car companies and charging facilities operators under the joint consultation, this fee will be expected to reduce to less than 1 yuan.

The so-called "charging service fee" for the vast majority of consumers should be unfamiliar, but it is a new energy car owners are very concerned about a term. Popular point that the charging service charge is the owner of the public charging facilities to enjoy the charging service, the need to pay to the service providers in addition to the basic price charges.

"The service charge should be collected, but how to collect it, now is indeed a contradiction point." "Wang Jiahong, analyst at the Center for Automotive Industry research at Sadie, said. In his view, the service charge as the main source of profit for the operators, the collection is too low, the investment return cycle too long will affect the social capital of the charging pile and other infrastructure construction investment enthusiasm. On the other hand, if the collection is too high, will undoubtedly be to offset the cost advantage of new energy vehicles, not conducive to the promotion of new energy vehicles.

This may also be a key point to "tangle" the local government and the price department. According to the reporter statistics, last August, the National Development and Reform Commission on the official issue of the electric vehicle electricity price policy related issues notice, clear charge for the operation of electric utilities enterprises in addition to the user charge, but also charge a certain charge for the service charge. But the notice issued more than half a year, the country more than 80 cities and regions, there are currently only less than 10 foreign service charges for the collection of standards.

The dilemma of service fee standard

"From the current price of Hefei, it is really too high." "Wang Jiahong thinks. Reporters deliberately calculate a sum, to pure electric cars and IEV4, for example, public data show that its hundred kilometers power consumption of 13 degrees. In accordance with local prices, the owner of the public charge on the pile on a one-time electricity, a total need to pay (public charging pile foundation electricity price of about 0.675 Yuan + 1.7 yuan) A total of 2.375 yuan, hundred kilometers cost of 30 yuan. And if it is the same level of fuel vehicles, hundred kilometers cost in 50 yuan. From the use point of view, although the former is lower than the latter, but from the cost and convenience of car, the latter compared with the former has a clear advantage. "If you follow this price standard, it will undoubtedly affect consumers ' enthusiasm for buying new energy vehicles." "In his view, in the open city, the main starting point for consumers to buy new energy vehicles is the low cost of use, if that reason no longer holds, then consumers will not choose new energy vehicles," Wang Jiahong.

"However, companies have their own considerations, that is the return cycle of investment." Wang Jiahong told the first financial daily reporter. To change electricity for example, according to Jiangsu Province Electric Power Company marketing department deputy director Ku Yinggang revealed that to build a power station, the cost will be as high as 50 million yuan. So, when will this investment be back? In the current operation of the Xinxiang power station for example, a pure electric taxi for a single electricity charge of about 40 yuan, each car about two times a day, the income to the power station is 80 yuan, with a year 360 days full load operation calculation, The city's nearly 100 vehicles need to change the power station to bring the income of 2.8 million yuan, return cycle at least 10 years. Even if the investment is relatively small construction of the charge pile, Shanghai Dorset Group Chairman Penrey in the media interview said, if the construction of 100 charge piles, each charge 2.5 times a day, each fee charged 0.8 yuan, to return to this also need 5-7 years time.

This is still a relatively ideal algorithm, in fact, because of the current lack of new energy vehicles, social charging pile utilization is obviously not so high. According to Wang Jiahong, in Hangzhou Xihu District, the charging station, its daily service capacity of about 300 times, but actually use less than 100 times a day. Low utilization rates and the size of new energy vehicles that are hard to lift in the short term make it hard for businesses to profit. Because, "Now the Recharge power station, no one is profitable." "The industry insiders pointed out.

Investors cautiously enter

That is why, despite the government's intention to help, social capital is clearly more cautious. Yu Jiandong, chairman of Shanghai New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. told the first financial daily Reporter: "In the future, with the popularization and promotion of new energy vehicles, equipment suppliers to enter the operation level of the power station should be the general trend, but when entry is very important." "It seems to him that there is a risk of getting too early or too late." Therefore, according to its disclosure, although the company has received several from the local government "packaging program" tender, but Yu Jiandong also said that before formal cooperation, the road will be signed with the local government "strategic cooperation Agreement" to ensure that in the early stage of loss, government subsidies can be temporarily "blood transfusion."

and Shanghai Zhi Tatsu Technology Development Co., Ltd. General manager Wong in an interview with reporters also said, now the main power in the field of charging pile construction, one is the state grid, mainly to make highways, such as the infrastructure supporting the main road, the second is listed companies, targeting the construction of social public domain, and more private capital, are more willing to work with the car companies and the government to do private charging pile construction. Take Zhi da as an example, "We have to from the inside out, first the private do a good job in the car, and then consider the joint properties of the community surrounding the implementation of infrastructure," Wong told reporters. "In the absence of quantity, we are not going to make a bigger investment. "And the industry believes that the current large listed companies are willing to advance the layout of the market, in addition to financial strength can bear short-term losses, more in the future" entrance "of the preemption, once more cars, it will have more initiative. Of course, it does not rule out the use of "subject matter" and concept of capital operation intention.

A single test of the profit model

However, it is difficult to achieve long-term stability gains on the basis of service charges alone. "In the above industry, if the consideration of cost growth, consumers are more willing to charge at home, not only the difference between peak and valley electricity price advantage, also do not need service charges." To the pleasant IEV4 for example, if the charge at home, hundred kilometers cost only need about 10 yuan. According to Wong introduced, in the current situation, in fact, 80% of the owners can be charged through the home (since the construction of charge pile + fly line) to meet the demand, if you want to go out to recharge, more just recharge, to the enterprise will obviously be very low income.

At the same time, in the current situation, many car companies to promote their own new energy vehicles, have launched a "free charging" model, in their own 4S shop building charge piles, to provide value-added services for owners, or in public areas to build charging piles, for owners to facilitate, such as Tesla.

"In the absence of a better profit model to achieve open source, companies should consider throttling to reduce costs." "Wang Jiahong thinks. Perhaps because of this, a few days ago, Jiangsu Wanxiang Group launched a "star charging" of the public-funded projects, "at present we are looking for partners, as long as your industry to meet our requirements (consumers stay more than 2 hours, such as hospitals, shopping malls, schools, supermarkets, etc.), there are more than 5 own parking spaces, There is a surplus of capacitance without individual expansion, you can join. Star charge Chairman Shaodanwei told the first financial daily reporter. According to its introduction, eligible partners only need to be out of the field, while the star charge is responsible for the construction, after the completion of the two sides will share the benefits of service charges. "In terms of both cost and risk, there is a reduction in both sides, which is a good model for now. "Wong thinks. According to Shaodanwei, this year it will be in Changzhou and Wuhan, respectively, construction of 1500 and 10,000 charge piles, the next 3 years it will invest 5 billion yuan, in the country to build 250,000 rechargeable piles. According to our model, it is estimated that the cost will be recovered in 2-3 years. Shaodanwei told reporters. However, in her vision, the profit can not only come from the service charge, "We will use our own app service platform to provide car owners with value-added services, thereby creating profits." However, she did not elaborate on its clear profit point to reporters.

In Wang Jiahong view, not only at present there is no enterprise to put forward a clear profit model, foreign also has no experience to learn. In a sense, the whole industrial chain is in the "barbaric growth" of the state. "Whoever has a better model will be able to pry into the big market with small capital," Wang Jiahong, who is the ultimate victor, may need time to test.