Charging electric vans in trades businesses: at the workshop, at home and on the road
Electric vans in a trades business are best charged where they park for long periods anyway: overnight at the workshop or at technicians' homes. With long dwell times, AC charging is usually enough. Public fast chargers fill the gaps on long trips or extra jobs. What matters is that all charging locations come together in one overview.
Whether electrical, plumbing and heating, maintenance or installation: trades businesses have different charging needs from logistics fleets. Vans carry materials, visit changing sites and often park at customers. This article shows how to organise charging around your working day.
How much energy does an electric van need per day?
The key planning figure is daily energy demand, not battery size. It follows from daily mileage and consumption, which rises with payload, winter and motorway driving. Use manufacturer figures as a starting point and check them against the first weeks of real data. See depot charging for electric vans.
Charging at the workshop: is AC enough or do you need DC?
If your vans return to the yard in the evening and stay until morning, AC charging is often enough. DC charging makes sense when vehicles must top up quickly between jobs or drive very high daily distances.
Situation | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
Van parks overnight at the workshop | AC charge point | long dwell time, lower cost |
Several vans, limited connection | AC with load management | power is distributed dynamically |
Short breaks between jobs | DC charge point or public fast charger | fast top-up |
Van stays overnight at technician's home | home charging with reimbursement | no detour to the workshop |
Check the grid connection before installation: in Germany, chargers must be reported to the grid operator before commissioning under section 19 NAV, and above 12 kVA total rated power per installation prior approval is required. See grid connection for charging infrastructure.
Do all vans have to return to the workshop?
No. In many trades businesses technicians drive straight from home to the first customer, so home charging is often the most practical option. Since 2026, the charged energy must be measured separately, for example via the wall charger or vehicle. Reimbursement is at actual cost or at the electricity flat rate of 34 cents per kWh (2026) under the BMF circular of 11 November 2025.
For vehicles that may also be used privately, the reimbursement is a tax-free expense allowance. See electricity flat rate 2026. If an existing wall charger is to be used, see checking an existing wall charger.
What about charging on the road and at customers?
For longer trips or extra jobs, public charge points complement the workshop. To avoid lost time, technicians should be able to find chargers with suitable power in advance and compare prices. A company charging card keeps private cards and single receipts out of the process. For vans, look for charging bays that larger vehicles can access.
How do you track charging costs per van?
In a trades business, the office wants to know what each vehicle costs – ideally also which costs belong to which team or job. That requires charging at the workshop, at home and on the road to come together.
Assign sessions to vehicles and teams
Analyse workshop, home and public charging costs separately
One monthly invoice instead of single receipts
Export for accounting and job costing
Spot anomalies early, such as a high share of fast charging
To turn this into a KPI, read cost per kilometre in an electric fleet.
Checklist for trades businesses
Daily mileage and dwell times recorded per van
Charging location set per vehicle: workshop, home or both
AC charge points at the workshop planned with load management
Grid operator notified
Home charging set up with separate metering and reimbursement rule
Company charging card issued for the road
Cost assignment by vehicle and team set up in the portal
What needs clarifying for a charger at the technician's home?
When vans stay overnight at employees' homes, practical questions come up. Does the van fit the parking space, and is the cable long enough? Can a charger be installed at a rented flat or in a shared ownership building? And who pays for installation and hardware? If the employer transfers or subsidises charging equipment, wage tax can be levied at a flat 25 percent under section 40(2) sentence 1 no. 6 EStG. For rented homes, see company car wall chargers in rented flats.
Put these rules in a short car policy so all technicians are treated the same – see company car policy for home charging.
How do you start with your first electric vans?
Start with vehicles whose routes are predictable and that regularly park overnight at the workshop or the technician's home. Record daily mileage, charging locations and charging times in the first weeks. With this data you decide whether extra charge points at the workshop are needed or whether home and public charging are enough. That way your infrastructure grows with your fleet instead of being oversized upfront.
How StromNow supports trades businesses
StromNow connects charging for electric service vehicles at the workshop, at home and on the road. You can start small with a few vehicles and grow infrastructure and processes with your EV fleet. The Driver App helps your teams find suitable chargers and check prices between jobs. Find out more on fleet charging for trades and technical services and, for on-site charge points, Depot Charging.
Discuss charging for your trades business – book a demo
Sources and further information
As of 20 October 2026. General information, not individual tax or technical advice. The cover image is an AI-generated illustrative image.
BMF circular of 11 November 2025 (German)
Frequently asked questions about charging electric vans in trades
Is AC charging enough for electric vans in trades?
With long dwell times, such as overnight at the workshop or at home, AC charging is often enough. DC charging makes sense for short windows between jobs.
Do electric vans have to return to the workshop each evening?
No. Vans parked at employees' homes can charge there. Wall charger, separate metering and reimbursement need to be set up accordingly.
How do I reimburse home charging for technicians?
With separately measured energy and either actual electricity costs or the flat rate (2026: 34 cents per kWh). For company vehicles with private use this is a tax-free expense allowance.
Do I need to register workshop chargers?
Yes. Under section 19 NAV, chargers must be reported to the grid operator before commissioning. Above 12 kVA total rated power per installation, approval is required.
Is StromNow suitable for small trades businesses?
Yes. The solution can start with a few electric vehicles and grow with the business. What matters are driving profiles, charging locations and the cost overview you need.