EV charging point for your business: what do you need to know?

What you need to know 

• A home charging point lets you charge your electric vehicle quickly and safely.
• Smart charging features make it easier to track charging costs for accounting purposes.
• The cost of a charging point is 100% tax-deductible until 2029. This falls to 75% from 2030.

Is it worthwhile for a self-employed professional or business owner to install a home EV charging point? What are the tax implications of such an investment? What if an SME wants to install several charging points for its company fleet? How can you optimise charging and make the most of your vehicle’s range? And what about the network of public charging stations?

For self-employed professionals and businesses in Belgium, driving an electric vehicle has become the obvious choice from a tax perspective. But what about charging points, whether installed at home or on business premises? From technical considerations and tax treatment to claiming home charging costs as a business expense, here’s what you need to know.

EV charging options and charging points

From a smart home charging point to ultra-fast charging stations along the motorway, advances in charging technology and the expansion of the public charging network mean that electric vehicles can now be charged safely and conveniently, without charging times becoming a major concern.

Why is home charging a smart choice?

Do you drive a company electric vehicle and have a private parking space at home? Charging at home is both practical and cost-effective, especially if you have a smart EV charging point.

• Charging your vehicle at home generally costs less than using a public charging station.
• You can charge your vehicle whenever it suits you, for example overnight, making it easier to optimise your charging, maximise your driving range and keep costs under control.

Charging at home using a reinforced domestic socket

It is technically possible to charge your vehicle using a domestic power socket, but there are significant limitations, as explained here.

La borne de recharge électrique à domicile

A home EV charging point, whether wall-mounted (wallbox) or installed on a pedestal, allows you to charge your vehicle quickly and safely at home. You can choose from different types of charging point, with the main differences being charging power, and therefore charging speed, as well as the smart features they offer. Find out more here.

Read Jean-Marc Guisset’s story about installing a home EV charging point for his electric company car.

EV charging points for businesses

Do you want to install EV charging points for your company vehicles or your employees’ company cars?

• The scope and cost of your project will depend largely on your building’s electrical installation and the capacity of the electricity network, particularly whether your premises have their own high-voltage substation.
• You can install AC charging points with charging capacities of up to 43 kW. Depending on the model and your technical requirements, these charging points offer faster charging than a standard home charging point.
• Planning to install several charging points? Check whether you need a load-balancing system to distribute the available electrical capacity when several vehicles are charging at the same time. Dynamic load management is essential to prevent overloading your building’s electrical installation.

Fast and ultra-fast charging points

Motorways, car parks and other public locations often have fast and ultra-fast charging points. These use direct current (DC), allowing electric vehicles to charge much more quickly. The actual charging speed depends on your vehicle’s specifications, but in many cases you can recharge your battery to 80% in under 30 minutes. Charging costs are generally higher, especially at ultra-fast charging stations.

These charging points are rarely installed at business premises, as the infrastructure requires a substantial investment.

Remember to declare your charging point

Whether you install a charging point at home or at your business premises, and whether it is designed for standard or accelerated charging, you must declare it to your electricity network operator in Brussels, Wallonia or Flanders. Once the installation is complete, it must also be inspected by an approved inspection body.

Installing charging points for businesses and self-employed professionals: what tax advantages are available?

From a tax perspective, purchasing and installing a charging point for professional use is treated as a capital investment. The cost of the investment can be deducted for tax purposes through depreciation. In some cases, you may also qualify for the investment deduction.

Tax relief for companies

If you operate through a company, you can deduct 100% of the cost of installing your charging infrastructure, including a home EV charging point, against corporate tax until 31 December 2029. From 1 January 2030, the deduction rate falls to 75%.

As a general rule, this investment is depreciated over a period of 10 years.

Reimbursing home charging costs through your business: what rates apply?

The cost of charging an electric vehicle for professional use is also tax deductible, at the same rate as the company car itself. However, if the charging point is installed at your home, you need to distinguish the actual cost of charging the company vehicle from your household electricity consumption, such as your washing machine, fridge or water heater.

In practice, this can be difficult because of the complexity of electricity tariffs. To keep the system practical, the professional charging costs and the corresponding tax deduction are therefore calculated using a fixed rate per kWh determined by the federal Electricity and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG).

However, the charging point must be a smart model that can accurately measure the electricity used to charge the vehicle and export this consumption data separately from the rest of your household electricity use.

Financing EV charging points: what are your options?

Whether you include the installation costs in your finance agreement for an electric company car, take out a loan specifically to finance a charging point or use a business investment loan for a larger project, the most suitable financing solution depends on your specific needs. Ilham Chelafa, Advisor Local Business at BNP Paribas Fortis in Brussels, explains:

“A finance agreement for the purchase of an electric company car can, to a certain extent, also cover other costs, such as installing a home charging point or paying for insurance. For larger projects involving higher costs – for example, the installation of multiple charging points – a business investment loan may be a more appropriate solution.

In addition, operational leasing agreements for company cars offered by our partner Arval may include the installation of a home charging point, with the installation costs spread over the duration of the leasing contract.”

“With my home charging point, I can recharge my car with the power I need in just five hours”

A communications consultant for almost 30 years, Jean-Marc Guisset recently switched to an electric company car and installed a home charging point at his home in Beersel.

“I chose an electric vehicle for my new company car because changes to the tax rules made it the obvious choice. But I also felt it was important to drive a cleaner vehicle. I take the impact on climate change into account when making my choices and decisions.”

Driving electric: any concerns soon disappeared

A few months ago, Jean-Marc got behind the wheel of a second-hand electric company car, despite having a few initial concerns.

“I did have some reservations, particularly about charging and the vehicle’s range on longer journeys. That’s one of the reasons I decided to install a charging point at home. My car has a 77 kWh battery with a range of up to 450 km.

While I was waiting for the charging point to be installed, I charged the car using a standard household socket. It took almost 24 hours just to reach a 50% charge. With my home charging point, which has a charging capacity of 7.2 kW, I can reach the same charge level in less than five hours, which is more than sufficient for my needs.

As for my concerns about longer journeys, they soon disappeared. In my experience, the public charging network is extensive. And with ultra-fast charging points, it takes no more than 15 minutes to charge the battery from 20% to 80%.”

Significantly lower charging costs

What about the financial impact of investing in a home charging point? Jean-Marc carefully weighed up the costs and benefits before making his decision.

“Buying and installing the charging point was, of course, an investment. For my standard 7.2 kW model, equipped with smart monitoring features that I manage through an app, the total cost came to around €2,000, including VAT.

At the moment, charging my car at home costs me around €0.30 per kWh, including all charges. That’s still considerably cheaper than using a public charging station, where prices typically range from €0.45 to €0.80 per kWh.”

Easy-to-track consumption data for tax purposes

“I operate through a company, so I can deduct 100% of the cost of this investment against corporate tax by depreciating it over time. The electricity consumed by my charging point is also 100% tax deductible as a business expense.

From a practical point of view, I can separate the electricity consumption of my charging point from the rest of my household electricity use. I can even export the data to Excel files, which I then send to my accountant,” Jean-Marc concludes.

Installing a charging point for your business: FAQs

Is it possible to charge my electric vehicle at home using a domestic power socket?

It is technically possible to charge an electric vehicle using a domestic power socket. However, for both practical and safety reasons, this solution is not recommended and is only suitable for occasional charging. In any case:

• Charging should only be carried out using a reinforced power socket designed specifically for this purpose and the charging cable supplied by the vehicle manufacturer. Depending on your home’s electrical installation, you may need a qualified electrician to install a suitable reinforced socket.
• Because of the risk of overheating and short circuits, charging via a standard domestic socket (known as a Type 1 socket) is strongly discouraged. It is, in fact, prohibited in the Brussels-Capital Region.
• Charging times are particularly long, often exceeding 24 hours, because the available power is very low (a maximum of 2.3 kW) compared with a dedicated charging point.

What are the main technical features of a home EV charging point?

• Home EV charging points generally offer a charging power of between 3.7 kW and 11 kW, and in some cases, up to 22 kW, although most electric vehicles support a maximum charging power of 11 kW.
• A 7.4 kW charging point is suitable for most users.
• The characteristics of your electrical installation and supply may limit the charging power available. For example, an 11 kW charging point generally requires a three-phase electrical installation, which may mean your existing installation needs to be upgraded. Always consult a qualified installer beforehand to find out what is possible for your particular set-up. 
• The higher the charging power, the greater the purchase and installation cost of the charging point.
• Smart charging features help you manage charging more efficiently. For example, you can schedule charging during the most economical electricity tariff periods. You can also balance the charging load with the consumption of your other electrical appliances to prevent your electrical installation from becoming overloaded. 
• These home charging points operate using alternating current (AC).

What should you consider before installing a charging point?

• The installation must be carried out by a qualified and approved installer to ensure it complies with the applicable regulations and safety standards.
• In Brussels, you must notify the electricity network operator of your installation using Sibelga’s online form. In Flanders, notifications are made via Fluvius. If you are based in Wallonia, check with your electricity network operator to find out how to notify them of your installation.
• Depending on the scale of your project, you may also need additional authorisations, such as planning permission.

 Is the enhanced 150% tax deduction for publicly accessible charging points still available?

No. This enhanced tax deduction is no longer available. However, sole traders and companies can still benefit from the tax treatment described above.

To encourage businesses to switch to lower-emission vehicles, the Belgian federal authorities previously offered an enhanced tax deduction of up to 200%, later reduced to 150%, provided the charging point was accessible to the public. This scheme no longer applies to installations carried out after 31 August 2024.