Cost per kW is a division you perform on quotes in hand — equipment price divided by rated kilowatts — never a figure a market publishes. Inside one power class, against one frozen specification, it is a fair screening metric. Across classes, or on totals that quietly include installation, it misleads: the only sourced anchors remain the U.S. DOE-cited class ranges: about $38,000–$90,000 equipment plus $20,000–$60,000 installation per unit. The metric ranks quotes; it does not replace them.
Key Takeaways
- Cost per kW is computed from quotes in hand, equipment only — no market publishes it and no norm exists.
- Run two divisions for shared-power units: badge kW, and power per car with all dispensers busy.
- Per-kW falls mechanically as units grow; rank within one class and one frozen specification only.
- EVDANCE’s compact DC unit sits below the DC fast band and publishes no price — it stays out of these tables.
The Comparison Worksheet
| Quote line | The per-kW computation | What the metric hides | The check that exposes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment price, one dispenser configuration | Equipment price ÷ rated kW of that configuration | Module count, cooling, connector set and certification scope priced into the same badge | Both quotes priced against the identical frozen specification, inclusions listed |
| Dual-dispenser or shared-power units | Total price ÷ total rated kW | Two cars together split the rated power; the per-car figure is below the badge figure | Compute a second line: price ÷ power per car with both dispensers busy |
| Totals that include site work | Nothing — do not compute it | Installation swings with the site, not the charger; folding it in prices the ground, not the machine | Strip installation out; anchor it separately against the DOE installation range |
| Backend, payment and commissioning lines | Keep them out of the equipment division | One quote bundles platform onboarding and payment hardware; the other leaves them as extras | Compare equipment-only per kW, then the extras as their own lines |
| A unit from a different power class | The division still works — the comparison does not | Enclosure, controls and backend are shared across a cabinet, so per-kW falls mechanically as kW rises | Rank within a class; judge a smaller class on fitness for the site’s dwell pattern |
Why the Metric Bends: Shared Costs and Shared Power
Two effects bend cost per kW, both structural. First, shared costs: a cabinet’s enclosure, controls, display and backend connection are bought once whether the conversion hardware is rated at the bottom of the 50–350 kW band or the top — which is why price does not follow kilowatts in a straight line, and a larger unit’s per-kW figure looks better almost by construction. Second, shared power: where one unit feeds two dispensers from one rating, the badge number is a ceiling for the pair, not a promise to each car. The same shape exists in AC — the EV-AC03201T states up to 43 kW shared across two connectors, 22 kW per connector — but that is an AC station, and its figures never enter a DC comparison.
The installed total still has to be budgeted, and our breakdowns of commercial installation costs and commercial charger costs keep equipment and installation in their separate DOE ranges. Per-kW belongs to the equipment column only.
Where EVDANCE’s DC Unit Sits in a Per-kW Table
It does not sit in one. The EV-RHDC30K-L compact DC charger is rated at 22 kW DC, with OCPP 1.6J and IP54 — below the 50–350 kW band the U.S. DOT describes as DC fast charging, and its connector variant is a written confirmation before ordering. EVDANCE publishes no price for it, so no honest per-kW figure can be computed here; and dividing a quoted price by roughly 22 kW would produce a high figure that says nothing about whether compact DC fits a depot whose vehicles dwell for hours. Judge the class on the duty pattern, get the quote in writing via contact us or the commercial charging page, and keep it out of band-class tables.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good cost per kW for a DC fast charger?
No sourced norm exists, so none is quoted here. A per-kW figure means something only against the other quotes for the same specification in front of you — and the quote lines behind it still decide.
Should installation be included in the per-kW figure?
No. Installation is site work with its own DOE-cited range ($20,000–$60,000 per unit, U.S. public context), kept separate from equipment ($38,000–$90,000) in the source itself. A combined division prices ground conditions as charger value.
Does a lower cost per kW always mean better value?
No. Per-kW falls mechanically as units get bigger, and a thinner specification lowers it by removing dispensers, connectors or scope. Across classes it can rank a machine that does not fit the site above one that does. Value is the frozen spec, the written quote and the duty pattern.
Related Reading
- How Much Do Commercial EV Chargers Cost?
- Why Is DC Fast Charging So Expensive?
- How Much Does It Cost to Install a Commercial EV Charging Station?
