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EV Ownership & Charging Access·October 04, 2026·@ssrinivasan

Airbnb hosts who added EV charging — was it actually worth it for bookings, or mostly just added cost?

Been getting a handful of messages from guests asking if we have EV charging before they book, and I'm wondering if it's worth actually installing something instead of just saying no. My place isn't in a super EV-heavy area yet but it feels like it's trending that way. For hosts who added charging, did you notice it actually moving the needle on bookings/reviews, or was it more just a cost you ate because a few guests expected it? Trying to figure out if this is a near-term must-have or something I can wait on.

Filed under: EV Ownership & Charging Access

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18 ANSWERS

@ahollingsOctober 04, 2026

I put a Tesla UWC in a locking cabinet at a rental property. Hard to say if it brought in bookings, but guests do mention it in reviews. It cost me less than a lot of the other stuff I did to that place.

@raj_mehta9October 03, 2026

Speaking as a guest, I filter for it when I'm booking for a road trip, but only in places where fast chargers are thin. If there's a decent DC fast charger nearby I don't really care. A plain 240v outlet in the driveway would cover 90% of what I'd want overnight anyway, and it's way cheaper than a networked charger.

@bkruegerOctober 03, 2026

Run the numbers before you worry about it. A guest who drives 50 miles a day uses maybe 15 kWh. Even at 20 cents a kWh that's $3 a day. Fold it into the nightly rate or the cleaning fee and move on. Just don't do what the hotels do and charge $0.60/kWh for a Level 2 plug. People notice and they leave reviews about it.

@jlaurentOctober 03, 2026

On my road trip I picked a couple of stays specifically because they had a charger. It definitely made a difference for me. But that was in places where the EA stations were 30+ miles off route. If you're near a highway with fast chargers it matters a lot less.

@megan_r7October 03, 2026

We take the Ioniq on road trips with the kids and the dog and honestly I don't check for chargers at rentals, we just plan around fast chargers. But if a place had one and the listing mentioned it I'd probably pick it over a similar place that didn't.

@tyler_voightOctober 03, 2026

Depends a lot on where you are. If the nearest supercharger is far off or pricey, a guest who can top up overnight is going to pick your place. If there are a bunch of fast chargers around, it probably won't matter much.

@dave_kincaidOctober 05, 2026

I'd look at where your guests are coming from before you decide. Up here in upstate NY the fast chargers off the main routes can be pretty sparse, so when we travel I do check for it, especially in winter when range drops. If your place is a destination people drive a few hours to, it's more useful than if it's near an interstate with a Supercharger every 50 miles.

@wadecrossOctober 03, 2026

I have two Airbnbs in Texas and put free charging at both. In all this time it's been used twice. Twice total, not twice each. Nobody has ever mentioned it in a review either. I don't regret it because it cost me next to nothing, but I wouldn't expect it to bring in bookings

@kurt_lanningOctober 03, 2026

I have a Grizzle at our cottage in Ontario. Renters have used it maybe a handful of times in two summers. Can't really say it got us any bookings.

@ssrinivasanOctober 07, 2026

@ahollings did you charge guests for it or just include it? That's the part I'm stuck on. I don't want someone plugging in for 4 nights straight and me eating the bill.

@ahollingsOctober 08, 2026

Included. It's a rounding error compared to the AC in summer.

@rhenley_64October 08, 2026

Also agree with @bkrueger on not charging guests some silly per kWh rate. I've been on the receiving end of that at hotels and it's the first thing I put in a review, lol.

@bhollisterOctober 09, 2026

240v 20A on a GFCI breaker is enough. Overnight that's around 100 miles. Nobody staying at an Airbnb needs more than that.

@bhollisterOctober 11, 2026

Have an electrician do it, not an extension cord off the garage. Guests will leave it plugged in for hours every night.

@nkowalskiOctober 11, 2026

Honestly a regular 120V outlet near the parking spot gets you more than people think. I've charged on L1 only for 4+ years. For a guest who parks overnight that's maybe 40 miles back, which covers most local driving. It costs basically nothing, so it's an easy way to test whether anyone actually uses it before you pay for a 240V circuit.

@rsaldanaOctober 16, 2026

The cost is all in the install and depends on how far the panel is from where they park. I got quoted $1500 for one 50A line about 20 feet. Get a couple of quotes, and tell them it's for an EV, not a Tesla. Electricians see "Tesla" and the price goes up.

@mgauthier_October 17, 2026

Agree on getting multiple quotes. One guy wanted $200 for the permit when the permit is $60. Most L2 installs are overpriced.

@wadecrossOctober 17, 2026

And yeah, don't mention EV to the electrician. My 14-50 was about $85 because I bought the outlet and breaker myself and just told him where I wanted it