An EV charging station dealership is an appointment: a manufacturer or network appoints a local business to sell — and often install and service — its charging stations in a defined area, under a written dealer programme. There is no standard programme: what the dealer receives, owes and pays is whatever the document says, so reading it section by section is the skill this article teaches.
Key Takeaways
- A dealership is a written appointment — territory, brand use, training, stock, service duties and exit are all programme terms.
- There are no standard dealer terms or typical buy-ins; figures count only where the document states them.
- Read the exit and service sections first: they define your longest obligations.
What a Dealer Programme Document Contains
| Section | What it decides | The question to close before signing |
|---|---|---|
| Territory | The area you may sell or operate in, and whether that right is exclusive | Is exclusivity actually written, with boundaries? |
| Brand use | Signage, showroom presentation, listings and use of the manufacturer’s name and marks | What needs advance approval, and what happens to branding if the agreement ends? |
| Products and training | Which models the dealership covers, and who trains your sales and technical staff | Is training provided, repeated for new staff, and priced into the programme? |
| Stock and demonstration units | Any opening stock, display chargers and demo obligations the programme sets | Exactly what must be bought, in the document’s figures — never a buy-in assumed from conversation |
| Installation and service duties | Who installs, who answers warranty faults first, and what response duties the dealer carries | Do your staff and licences cover these duties in your market, confirmed in writing? |
| Commercial terms | Your price basis, payment terms and how prices change during the term | Where are the figures, and what notice precedes a price change? |
| Term and exit | Length, renewal, termination rights, and what happens to stock and branding at the end | Can unsold stock be returned or sold through, and who pays for de-branding? |
Two sections deserve special care. The service section defines work your customers will hold you to — the warranty and after-sales checklist shows the questions it must answer. And who stands behind each model’s certification in your market must be named in the document set; if it is not, ask before signing.
Dealership, Distributor, Reseller: Three Different Appointments
The three roles are often confused because all three sell chargers. A dealer is the customer-facing appointment: a local business trading under the brand’s programme, often with premises, display units and service duties. A distributor works one level up, holding the manufacturer’s range and service for a whole market and supplying the dealers and installers inside it. A reseller holds the lightest arrangement — selling onward without territory or market duties. The document in front of you decides which you are signing.
Due Diligence Before You Sign
- Read the exit section first. Programmes are easiest to judge by how they end: stock, branding and customer records at termination.
- Check every figure against the document. Any buy-in or fee from a sales conversation counts only when it appears in the programme’s written terms.
- Match service duties to real capacity. Count your licensed installers and support staff against the response duties in the service section.
- Confirm the product file. Certificates for the exact models you will sell, for your market — in hand before you commit to display stock.
- Take advice on the contract. Have your own adviser review the final document.
EVDANCE’s Route: Resellers and Distributors
EVDANCE is a Shenzhen manufacturer founded in 2011, exporting to more than 30 countries, with a 3-year standard warranty. Our stated route to market is the reseller and distributor programme: partners take defined roles under written agreements rather than a franchise-style dealership with fixed published terms, and territory, stock or service duties for your market are written-confirmation items agreed for your case. Dealer-style partners typically start from the station and wallbox lines in our product range, such as the EV-AC03201T dual-connector AC station (two Type 2 connectors, up to 43 kW shared, OCPP 1.6J, RFID, IP54). Send your market and team details via contact us to discuss the arrangement that fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a dealership require buying stock up front?
Only if the document says so. Opening stock and demonstration obligations vary by manufacturer — read that section for the actual figures, and treat anything quoted verbally as unconfirmed.
Is a dealership territory always exclusive?
No. Exclusivity exists only where the document grants it, with defined boundaries. A programme can appoint several dealers in one area, or one nationally; the territory section decides.
How is a dealer different from a distributor?
Position in the chain. The dealer faces the end customer under the brand’s programme; the distributor holds the market behind the dealers — range, spares, training and first response. One business can be both.
Related Reading
- How Distributors Can Build a Profitable EV Charger Product Line
- How to Find EV Charger Distributors and Installers to Sell To
- EV Charger Warranty and After-Sales Terms: A Distributor’s Checklist
