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HOA got quoted a huge markup on shared EV chargers for the garage — is this normal or are we getting ripped off?

Our condo board is finally moving on adding EV chargers to the shared garage after years of requests, but the quote has a monthly per-unit fee on top of the install cost, and the markup on the actual hardware/installation looks like almost double what similar chargers cost retail. Only a handful of us have EVs right now but the board wants to plan for way more down the line. Before we vote on this at the next meeting, I want to know if this kind of pricing structure -- big markup, monthly fee, board absorbing part of the cost -- is actually normal for condo/HOA EV charger rollouts, or if we should be pushing back and shopping this out to someone else.
116 answers
6 ANSWERS
jwozniak
@jwozniakSeptember 29, 2026
What's the monthly fee actually for? Most networked units charge per port per month for the software...if that's the case, it's not the board making money off you.
tim_okonkwo
@tim_okonkwoSeptember 29, 2026
The part that would worry me more is "plan for way more down the line." Has anyone looked at whether the building service can handle it. I maxed out my own service with one 50 amp circuit and now I can't add anything big. A garage with 20 or 30 spots is going to run into that fast unless the chargers share load. If the vendor is quoting a full dedicated circuit for every spot, that alone could be the doubled price, and it could mean a service upgrade later that nobody has priced in yet.
aldridge_s
@aldridge_sSeptember 29, 2026
Is the per-unit fee charged to every unit or only the EV owners? I've been through this exact fight in my building, just from the other side. Neighbours wanted my charging fees raised because "gas costs more" – as if that has anything to do with what the building pays for electricity! The fee should be based on actual costs: the building's utility rate for the kWh you use, plus whatever the network subscription really costs. If they can't show you how they got the number, don't vote for it yet.
aaron_lindsey
@aaron_lindseySeptember 29, 2026
Only the ones who opt in I think, but honestly the board presentation was basically one slide with a total and a monthly number on it. When I said the hardware looked marked up I meant the chargers specifically. They listed the unit price separately and it's close to double what the same model sells for online. The electrical work is its own line and I have no idea whether that one is reasonable.
tim_okonkwo
@tim_okonkwoSeptember 29, 2026
If they're listing the box by itself at double retail, that is just margin and you can push back on it. The electrical line is where I would want a second opinion from an electrician who does commercial work, not the charger company. Even with all that I would still vote to get chargers in. Without charging where you live the EV math mostly falls apart.
craig_denton
@craig_dentonSeptember 29, 2026
Ask them if the electrical line is a dedicated circuit per stall or load sharing. Most commercial units, and Tesla Wall Connectors too, can split one circuit across several chargers. For a car parked overnight you don't need 48A to each spot. If they quoted full circuits for every stall, that's where a lot of the electrical number comes from.