(An industry-ground reality guide for fleet owners, factories & logistics buyers)
Introduction: “Free Charger” Sounds Good — Until the First Bill Arrives
In almost every electric truck discussion in India, one sentence appears sooner or later:
“Sir, charger free milega vehicle ke saath.”
For first-time EV buyers, this sounds like a bonus.
For experienced fleet operators, it’s a question mark, not a benefit.
This article explains what “free charger” really means, who pays for it indirectly, and how buyers unknowingly increase their total cost of ownership (TCO) by ignoring charger realities.
This is not theory. This is what happens after the demo, after the LOI, and after deployment.
1. The Charger Is Free — But the Infrastructure Is Not
Most OEMs only provide the charger unit. Everything else is on you.
Hidden costs usually include:
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Electrical civil work (cable trenching, panels)
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Earthing & safety compliance
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Transformer upgrade (in many industrial areas)
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Power load enhancement approvals
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Metering & protection systems
In many industrial setups, infrastructure costs exceed charger cost itself.
A “free” charger can easily turn into a ₹2–6 lakh site cost.
2. Charger Capacity Mismatch = Operational Loss
OEM-bundled chargers are often:
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Undersized (slow charging)
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Selected for cost, not use-case
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Generic, not fleet-optimized
Example:
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You receive a 3.3 kW or 7.2 kW AC charger
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Your truck needs daily multi-shift operation
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Overnight charging is no longer enough
Result?
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Mid-day downtime
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Queueing vehicles
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Lost productivity — which costs more than diesel ever did
The charger wasn’t free.
You paid through lost operations.
3. “Free” Chargers Lock You Into OEM Dependency
Many bundled chargers:
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Use restricted diagnostics
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Require OEM approval for service
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Cannot be maintained by independent charger companies
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Are not future-proof for mixed fleets
This becomes a problem when:
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You add vehicles from another OEM
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The charger OEM exits or delays support
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Software issues stop charging
Fleet operators then realise:
“Truck is fine, charger is the bottleneck.”
4. After-Sales of Chargers Is Not the Same as Vehicle Service
Truck OEM sales teams focus on:
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Vehicle delivery
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Registration & subsidy
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Warranty escalation
But when charger issues arise:
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OEM and charger vendor blame each other
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SLAs are unclear
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Downtime stretches from hours → days
A truck standing idle due to charger fault is dead capital.
This is one of the biggest reasons pilot EV fleets don’t scale.
5. “Free Charger” Often Means Priced-In Vehicle
Let’s be honest.
Nothing is truly free in commercial sales.
In many cases:
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Charger cost is already absorbed into vehicle pricing
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Negotiation flexibility reduces
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Buyer loses visibility on actual charger value
A smarter approach is:
Separate vehicle and charging cost
Negotiate both independently
6. Compliance & Safety: Your Risk, Not the OEM’s
If a charger causes:
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Electrical fire
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Short circuit
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Insurance rejection
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Factory safety audit failure
The liability is not with the OEM sales pitch.
It’s with:
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Factory owner
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Fleet operator
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Site electrical consultant
Yet many buyers never ask:
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Is this charger CEA compliant?
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Is it suitable for my site conditions?
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Who signs off safety responsibility?
7. When “Free” Makes Sense — And When It Doesn’t
✅ Free chargers can work if:
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Single vehicle or small pilot
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Fixed overnight charging
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No future fleet expansion
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Clear service SLA in writing
❌ Free chargers fail when:
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Multi-shift operations exist
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Fleet scaling is planned
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Multiple OEMs are involved
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Uptime matters more than CAPEX
8. The Smarter Way to Think About EV Charging
Before accepting any charger offer, ask only three questions:
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Does this charger suit my operation — not just the vehicle?
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Who supports it after 12 months, realistically?
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What happens when I add more EVs?
If these answers are unclear, the charger is not free —
it is a future problem delivered today.
Final Thought: Vehicles Sell the EV Story — Chargers Decide Success
Electric trucks don’t fail because of motors or batteries.
They fail because charging was treated as an add-on, not infrastructure.
A good EV deployment is not:
Truck + Free Charger
It is:
Vehicle + Right Charger + Right Site + Right Operations
Until buyers demand this clarity, “free chargers” will continue to be one of the most expensive mistakes in electric truck adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are EV chargers really free when bundled with electric trucks?
In most cases, only the charger hardware unit is provided “free.” The buyer usually bears the cost of installation, power upgrades, civil work, approvals, and safety systems, which can be significant.
2. Why do OEMs offer free chargers with electric trucks?
OEMs offer bundled chargers to simplify the sales process, reduce buyer hesitation, and accelerate EV adoption. However, these chargers are often standardized, not optimized for specific operational requirements.
3. What hidden costs are associated with free EV chargers?
Hidden costs may include:
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Electrical infrastructure upgrades
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Transformer or load enhancement
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Cable trenching and panels
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Earthing and safety equipment
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Local authority approvals
These can collectively exceed the cost of the charger itself.
4. Are bundled chargers suitable for commercial EV truck fleets?
Bundled chargers may work for pilot projects or single-vehicle use, but they often fall short for multi-shift operations, fleet-scale deployments, or time-sensitive logistics, where faster or smarter charging is required.
5. Can free chargers limit future fleet expansion?
Yes. Many bundled chargers are OEM-locked or limited in capacity, making them unsuitable when adding more vehicles or mixing EV brands in the same fleet.
6. Who is responsible if a charger supplied with an EV truck fails?
Responsibility is often unclear. OEMs may redirect issues to the charger vendor, while charger vendors may limit support. This lack of clear service-level accountability can lead to extended vehicle downtime.
7. Does accepting a free charger affect vehicle pricing?
In many cases, charger costs are already factored into vehicle pricing, reducing negotiation transparency. Buyers may end up paying indirectly while believing they received an additional benefit.
8. What charging capacity is typically needed for electric mini trucks?
The required charger capacity depends on battery size, daily distance, shift cycles, and downtime tolerance. Many commercial users find that basic AC chargers are insufficient for uninterrupted operations.
9. Is it better to buy chargers separately from vehicle purchase?
For most fleet and industrial buyers, separating vehicle and charger procurement allows better technical matching, clearer pricing, improved service options, and long-term flexibility.
10. Are free chargers compliant with Indian electrical safety standards?
Not always. Buyers must independently verify CEA compliance, site suitability, and safety certifications, as liability typically rests with the factory or fleet owner, not the OEM.
11. When does accepting a free charger make sense?
Free chargers may be acceptable when:
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Operating only one or two EVs
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Charging occurs overnight
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No fleet expansion is planned
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Written service commitments are provided
12. What should buyers ask before accepting a charger offer?
Key questions include:
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Is the charger suitable for my operational cycle?
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Who maintains and supports it long term?
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Can it support more vehicles later?
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What infrastructure is required at my site?
