Data, Decisions, and the Future of EV Charging

A Conversation with BCG
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As the EV market matures, the question isn’t whether charging infrastructure will grow, but how to grow in a way that’s profitable, efficient, and sustainable. In a fast-changing and increasingly competitive landscape, CPOs face new pressure: not just to expand, but to stand out.

We spoke with Jennifer Carrasco and Matteo Sartori from Boston Consulting Group about what it takes to lead in this evolving market. Drawing on their strategic work across the sector, including a recent case study in collaboration with elvah, they explain the mindset, capabilities, and data-driven insights that will define tomorrow’s most successful operators.

BCG’s Strategic Work in the EV Sector
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Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. Founded in 1963 as a pioneer in business strategy, BCG now works closely with clients to help them grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and create positive societal impact.

BCG supports clients across the full EV charging value chain. Their work spans emobility strategies, Go-To-Markets, Operating models review and M&A advisory work.

At the heart of this work lies a shared objective, as the team explained in our conversation:

“One of our key goals is to ensure that EV charging is not a barrier, but an enabler of transport electrification. We really believe this is one of the critical areas we need to work on to meet net zero goals, and support the energy transition.”

They help clients define what role they aim to play in the market, and how they can do so competitively and sustainably. One of the recurring lessons, they note, is the central importance of data.

“Something that consistently comes up in our work is that data is a key enabler. It provides the insights and facts needed for operational excellence, and also helps identify trends and lessons over time. That’s where elvah comes in.”

Trends Reshaping EV Infrastructure
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The temporary slowdown in EV sales has raised questions — but overall, BCG remains optimistic. One of the most notable trends, they explain, is a clear move away from pure growth and toward profitability, efficiency, and market consolidation.

“The market is still highly fragmented, and we’ll likely see consolidation along with a sharper focus on quality and utilization.”

On the ongoing issue of grid readiness they add, even after securing a substation or upgrade, operators often face lengthy bureaucratic delays before electricity is actually delivered to the site — a bottleneck that continues to slow down deployment across the sector.
They also point to the shifting role of the eMSP model as the market matures and CPOs expand their own capabilities.

“The eMSP model started out as a relevant model due to the high fragmentation in the market. However, it’s now being challenged.”

Standalone eMSP offerings, they note, are under increasing pressure due to the rise of payment terminals, greater pricing transparency, and the integration of customer interfaces into broader ecosystems, such as fuel retailers’ loyalty programs, as well as the growing adoption of Plug & Charge.

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New Pressures for CPOs
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“The major challenge we’re seeing is the shift from a purely growth-oriented mindset to one centered on operational excellence and sustainable profitability.”

The EV charging market is entering a new phase, BCG observes. Where success once meant scaling quickly and expanding infrastructure fast, the new shift is forcing many companies to rethink their capabilities and priorities.

“The strategies developed today will be key in determining tomorrow’s leaders. However, many questions remain around how best to build, scale, and stand out in this evolving landscape.”

Some operators are already trying to adopt best practices, but there is no one-size-fits-all formula — and in many ways, the market is still figuring out what success will look like in the long run. As Jennifer Carrasco puts it:

“There’s no clear recipe yet. And it’s not clear who the winners will be.”

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Why Data Is Becoming the Real Differentiator
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Ultimately, they emphasize, data is a key differentiator. The companies that know how to use it across marketing, pricing, and customer engagement are the ones most likely to lead.

“In the end, the players who succeed will be the ones who know how to use their data intelligently.”

Many operators initially developed smaller stations when demand was still limited. Now that EV adoption is growing, operators need to re-evaluate their infrastructure and make strategic choices about where to invest. Especially pricing and user experience, Sartori and Carrasco point out, are becoming key areas where data makes a crucial difference. The team notes that dynamic pricing pilots already show measurable impact, from improved margins to increased loyalty.

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Case Study: Turning Insights into Action
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One recent project in Southern Europe brought many of these ideas together. BCG supported a high-power charging provider — active as both CPO and MSP.

The client had recently launched an app that was fully interoperable with other networks. They had also begun introducing more sophisticated pricing mechanisms and campaigns, such as station-specific tariffs and temporary discounts designed to boost traffic at underutilized charging locations.

However, they were struggling to define the right offer. Other players had already dropped subscription models and pricing bundles that proved unprofitable. They asked BCG to help design a pricing strategy that could not only attract traffic, but also remain profitable and sustainable in the long term.

By integrating the elvah hub with a pricing monitoring model developed together with the client, BCG analyzed competitor volumes and pricing trends within a 3–5 km radius of each station. This provided granular visibility into local market dynamics including pricing, competitor performance, and location-specific trends.

These insights were translated into targeted actions at the station level.

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There were two pilots:

At a highway station with low market share, BCG identified a more competitive pricing strategy from a nearby competitor. A tactical credit card discount helped regain traffic, boosting market share by 10 percentage points. The insights also reshaped internal discussions on marketing, engagement, and app adoption — helping distinguish structural issues from tactical ones.
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In an urban location with low app usage, BCG and elvah identified local competition offering targeted discounts. A price match and cross-promotion with nearby retail businesses led to a 100% increase in market share within six weeks.
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These two examples didn’t just improve stations’ performance, they fundamentally changed conversations around pricing and marketing. Being able to assess historical price elasticity, BCG notes, added new depth to their analysis.

“The client came to see data, integrated directly into their pricing system, as a powerful driver of performance. It marked a shift in mindset, and ultimately led them to subscribe to the elvah hub as a long-term resource.”

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Standing Out in a Crowded Market
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Real differentiation, BCG stresses, comes down to smart pricing, compelling loyalty strategies, effective partnerships and the overall customer experience.

“Even if you manage to get one of the best locations, chances are you’re still facing tough competition. You might have Tesla, Fastned, or others just a few kilometers away — or even at the same site. So the question becomes: how do you stand out?”

To figure out what works, they say, CPOs need to experiment: running A/B tests, piloting different pricing models, and building systems that support real-time learning. Granular data plays a critical role. It helps benchmark local pricing, reveal competitor behavior, and assess price elasticity with precision.

In one project, a peri-urban station saw no lift in volumes despite applying discounts. Deeper analysis revealed the issue: a nearby competitor had exclusive fleet partnerships, making price cuts ineffective on their own. Pricing isn’t the only lever you can pull, the consultants emphasize. You need a combination of strategies to truly drive growth.

EV drivers have different customer profiles and preferences. Some are highly price-sensitive while others are more loyal and driven by convenience, or a positive site experience. The opportunity lies in recognizing and responding to those differences. There’s no single pattern, there are many — and making sense of them requires data, adaptability, and continuous learning.

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The Case for Confidence in EV Charging
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“We really believe the future of transport is electric.”

The infrastructure has come a long way, but public perception hasn’t fully caught up. Despite major growth across Europe, range anxiety and availability concerns are still cited as major reasons people hesitate to switch to EVs.

That’s why communication and education are so important right now. The reality, as Carrasco and Sartori point out, is that charging is far more available, more reliable, and improving fast. But the narrative needs to reflect that.

“People should feel confident buying EVs. Too often, the only stories they hear — especially in the media — are negative. It’s absolutely critical that we educate customers and make the EV charging experience as smooth and reliable as possible.”

As the market moves beyond early adopters, expectations are shifting. Charging needs to be seamless, accessible, and grounded in the realities of daily life. The next phase of EV charging will be led by those who understand the patterns, examine the data closely, and use it to set themselves apart. The case study by BCG and elvah illustrates just how effective that can be — showing how targeted insights lead to informed decisions and tangible impact at the station level.

In a market without a single formula for success, what will matter most is continuous learning, quick adaptation, and a sharper understanding of real-world behavior.

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Note: BCG’s Strategic Playbook for CPOs will be published soon and explores many of the questions discussed in this piece.

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About the Interviewees:

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Jennifer Carrasco
Director – Power & Utilities Sales & Services, BCG Vantage

Barcelona-based BCG Director Jennifer Carrasco turbo-charges Europe’s e-mobility future, channeling her EV-charging know-how to power OEMs, utilities, private-equity investors, and public authorities from concept to curb.

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‍Matteo Sartori
Principal, Energy PA – Large Networks & Retail, BCG

Based in Milan, Matteo has more than 10 years of experience in the energy sector, where he focuses on large network operations, fuel retail, and e-mobility, and is involved in M&A transactions, corporate strategy, digital transformation programs, and operational excellence projects.

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