How to Start a Mobile EV Charging Business
💰 $6,000–$35,000+ to start
⏱ First dollar: 1–3 months
⚡ Roadside rescue for EVs
Updated
The 30-second version
You drive a portable charger to an EV that is dead or nearly dead and give it enough range to reach a real charger. The small operators we found use a gas-generator Level 2 unit that costs $5,500–$6,800 and charge a flat $160–$200 per roadside visit. The problem is demand: in 2023 only 4% of AAA's 160,000 EV roadside calls were cars out of charge. This works best as an add-on to a towing or roadside business, not as a standalone side hustle.
You drive a portable charger to an EV that is dead or nearly dead and give it enough range to reach a real charger. The small operators we found use a gas-generator Level 2 unit that costs $5,500–$6,800 and charge a flat $160–$200 per roadside visit. The problem is demand: in 2023 only 4% of AAA's 160,000 EV roadside calls were cars out of charge. This works best as an add-on to a towing or roadside business, not as a standalone side hustle.
Startup cost
$6,000–$10,000 in a vehicle you own; $35,000+ with a van
Typical roadside price
$160–$200 per visit (operators' posted rates)
First dollar in
1–3 months, mostly waiting on calls
▶Watch this first
"This Company Is Doing EMERGENCY Roadside EV Charging!" — EV Geek Studios. Picked from a real creator, not a GigWiz production.
✓What you actually need to start
- A portable charger: gas-generator Level 2 units like the EVroadHERO RH9K ($5,495) or Blink IQ 200-M (about $6,824). Battery DC units are quote-only fleet gear.
- A Tesla/NACS adapter if your unit has a J1772 plug (about $50 per AAA's testing).
- A vehicle that can carry 200+ lb: some SUVs or a pickup can work; a used 2024 Ford Transit 250 runs about $27,700–$38,300.
- General liability (auto-service businesses average about $54/month) plus commercial auto ($76–$245/month average, depending on the source).
- A safe way to haul and store gasoline, and a CO monitor. Generators make carbon monoxide.
- A business entity, local business license, and a call/dispatch setup that answers at 2 a.m.
California buyers: the RH9K is listed as not CARB compliant and not for sale there. Check emissions rules in your state before you buy any generator unit.
👣The steps
Prove the demand before you buyCall local tow companies, dealerships, and fleet depots and ask how many out-of-charge EVs they see a month. Agero itself tells providers to buy based on need in their area, not on expected dispatch jobs.
Pick realistic gearFor a small operator that means a 9–10 kW gas-generator Level 2 unit ($5,495–$6,824). EVroadHERO says its unit adds about 5–10 miles in 20 minutes, so you sell a short rescue, not a full charge.
Use a vehicle you already haveThe RH9K is about 200 lb and its maker says it fits in some SUVs. Skip the $28,000+ van until you have steady paid calls.
Get insured for what you actually doTell your insurer you carry a gas generator and fuel and plug into customers' cars. Expect general liability around $650/year and commercial auto from about $909 to $2,940/year.
Price per visit, not per kWhPosted local rates run $159.99–$199.99 for a roadside visit; one Austin operator caps it at 10 kWh or one hour. NIST treats the kWh as the official unit for selling EV electricity, so selling by the kWh can pull you into weights-and-measures rules. Check with your state.
Bundle and get on dispatch listsTires, not dead batteries, are the top EV roadside call. Offer jump starts, lockouts, and tire help too, and apply to roadside networks like Agero so charging calls ride on top of steadier work.
💵The money, honestly
| Service | Posted price | What it really takes |
|---|---|---|
| Roadside rescue | $159.99–$199.99 per visit | Up to an hour or 10 kWh on site (Austin operator's cap), plus drive time |
| At-home or parked charge | $329 per visit | Longer session; one Charlotte operator's posted rate |
| Fleet visit | $429 per visit | Needs a fleet with several EVs in one spot; rare for a small operator |
| Break-even on the charger | $5,495–$6,824 | About 35–43 roadside calls at $160 before gas, insurance, or your time |
Prices are posted rates from Take Charge Mobile (Austin) and Charlotte Mobile EV Charging. Out of each visit come generator fuel, vehicle fuel and wear, and insurance. Insurance alone is roughly $1,560–$3,590 a year using Insureon's averages, which is another 10–22 roadside calls.
For scale: a driver pays about $0.49/kWh at a public fast charger (one national-average estimate), so 10 kWh costs about $5 there. You are selling convenience and rescue, not cheap power.
⚠ The reality check
- Running out of charge is rare. Only 4% of AAA's 160,000 EV roadside calls in 2023 were out-of-charge (2.1% in 2022). That's roughly 6,400 AAA calls nationwide in a year, spread across every city.
- Free tows are your real competitor. Many drivers already have roadside coverage. AAA Mountain West Group, for example, tows an out-of-charge EV to a charger as part of the membership instead of charging it on site.
- The gear is slow. EVroadHERO says its 9.5 kW unit adds about 5–10 miles in 20 minutes. AAA's own test of a mobile unit got 13.7 miles in 30 minutes. Customers expecting a full battery will be disappointed.
- The fleet money went to funded companies. SparkCharge raised $30.5 million in equity and debt in 2025 and now sells pay-per-use fleet charging. Lightning eMotors, which unveiled a mobile DC charger in 2022, went into receivership in December 2023. A solo operator is not competing for those contracts.
❔Questions people actually ask
How much does a mobile EV charger cost?Gas-generator Level 2 units run $5,495 (EVroadHERO RH9K) to about $6,824 (Blink IQ 200-M). Lincoln Electric's 50 kW DC unit is reported by one outlet at about $21,000; the maker hasn't published pricing.
How much do mobile EV charging services charge?Posted roadside rates run about $160–$200 a visit; one Austin operator caps that at 10 kWh or an hour. At-home or fleet visits are posted at $329–$429 by one Charlotte operator.
Does AAA do mobile EV charging?Some clubs have. As of January 2024 AAA mobile charging was in just 24 U.S. cities. Other clubs, like AAA Mountain West Group, tow an out-of-charge EV to a charging station instead.
The GigWiz verdict
✓ Good if
- You already run a tow truck, roadside, or mobile mechanic business and want one more paid service on the same calls.
- You have a dealership or fleet that has told you, in writing, that it will pay for on-site charging.
✕ Skip it if
- You want a standalone side hustle. Out-of-charge calls were 4% of AAA's EV calls in 2023, and many drivers can get a free tow through roadside coverage.
- You live in California and planned on a cheap gas-generator unit. The RH9K is listed as not for sale there.
The numbers
Startup cost$6,000–$35,000+
Typical roadside price$160–$200 per visit
First dollar in1–3 months
DifficultyReal capital, thin demand
⚠ The catch
The equipment is easy to buy; the stranded EVs to plug it into are hard to find.
Sources: TIME: Why EV drivers call AAA (Jan 2024); AAA Mobile EV Charging 2023 report; AAA Mountain West Group: EV roadside; EVroadHERO RH9K product page; Take Charge Mobile: Austin pricing; Charlotte Mobile EV Charging: pricing; Agero: SparkCharge for service providers; Insureon: auto services insurance costs.