You get an EV charging station dealership by applying to the manufacturer or programme operator — and being evaluated as a business partner, not as a retail customer. The operator tests four things: the market you cover, the channel you sell through, the service you can deliver after the sale, and the stock you can fund. The path is usually the same: evidence pack, evaluation conversation, pilot first order, then a signed agreement.
Key Takeaways
- A dealership is earned on evidence: market coverage, sales channel, service capability and stock funding.
- Prepare the evidence pack before the first meeting — documents, not promises.
- Expect a pilot first order; its records become your negotiating evidence at signing.
- Read territory, duties, brand use and exit lines with counsel before signing.
First, Know Which Appointment You Are Asking For
A dealership is a programme appointment: you are authorised to sell a maker’s charging stations in a defined market, usually with duties attached — brand presentation, trained staff, service cover. It is not a wholesale order, nor the lighter reseller arrangement. Programme names vary by maker, so read what the appointment grants and demands, not the label.
Step 1: Assemble the Evidence Pack
Operators award dealerships on evidence, not enthusiasm. Prepare each item below before the first meeting — documents, not promises.
| Evidence area | What the operator is testing | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Market coverage | You can reach buyers in the territory | Trading area, customer types, existing accounts, references |
| Sales channel | How units will be sold, not just stocked | Showroom, website or trade counter; sales staff; installer partners |
| Service capability | Faults get fixed after the sale | Technicians on staff or contracted, spare-parts holding, fault-response process |
| Stock and finance | You can fund inventory and carry the warranty float | Warehouse arrangements, ordering history, trade references |
| Compliance file | The products can legally be sold in your market | Importer arrangements; per-model documentation your market requires |
Step 2: The Approach and the Evaluation Conversation
Approach through the maker’s dealer or distributor programme page, with the pack attached. The evaluation runs both ways. Expect questions about your market, channel and service bench. Ask in return: what duties the programme sets (training, demo units, brand use), how project leads are routed, what the first order looks like, and which terms — territory, term, renewal — the agreement will define. Vague answers now become disputes later; the questions are the same ones our guide to building a profitable distributor product line uses to test a range.
Step 3: The Pilot Order and the First Installations
Expect a proving stage before the appointment is full: a first order on a narrow part of the range, first installations done with the maker’s documentation to hand, records kept on both sides — delivery, documentation fit, fault handling. The operator is checking whether the evidence pack was real. Keep your own records too: the pilot’s replenishment speed and support quality are your evidence at signing.
Step 4: Read the Agreement Before You Sign
The agreement converts the conversation into obligations. Read these lines with counsel before signing:
- Territory and scope. Which market, products and channels — and what the maker reserves for itself.
- Term and renewal. How long the appointment runs and what renewal depends on.
- Purchase and service duties. Commitments you are accepting, and the service duties with them.
- Brand use. Signage, listings, advertising — and what approval each needs.
- Exit. Notice, and what happens to stock, signage and warranty duties for units already sold.
Applying to EVDANCE
EVDANCE is a Shenzhen manufacturer founded in 2011, exports to more than 30 countries, offers private label from 100 units and provides a 3-year standard warranty. Its stated route for trade partners is the resellers and distributors programme. A dealership enquiry typically leads with the station class — for example the EV-AC03201T dual-connector AC station (two Type 2 connectors, up to 43 kW shared, OCPP 1.6J, RFID, IP54). EVDANCE publishes no dealership terms — territory, duties and first-order terms are confirmed in writing. Start via contact us with your evidence pack and your market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay a fee to get a dealership?
Programmes differ — some charge for elements such as training or display stock, others do not. EVDANCE publishes no dealership fee. Get any proposed charge itemised in writing before you commit money.
How long does approval take?
It varies by operator and by how complete your evidence is. A pack that already answers the coverage, service and compliance questions shortens the evaluation — most delay is the operator chasing documents.
Can I hold dealerships for several charger brands?
That depends on each agreement — some restrict competing lines, others do not. Read the conflict and exclusivity lines of every agreement you hold before adding a brand, not after.
Related Reading
- How to Find EV Charger Distributors and Installers to Sell To
- How Distributors Can Build a Profitable EV Charger Product Line
- Private Label vs Reselling a Branded EV Charger: Pros and Cons
- EV Charger Warranty and After-Sales Terms: A Distributor’s Checklist
