The Dutch operator Pluq has installed electric vehicle charging infrastructure at four hotel locations belonging to the H24 Group in Berlin, Brandenburg, and the Harz region. This approach allowed the hotel group to offer an extended service to its guests without having to bear its own investments or ongoing operational costs. A total of eleven charging points were commissioned within one week, demonstrating the rapid implementation of the technology.
Under this model, Pluq is responsible for the full financing, installation, and operation of the charging infrastructure, including the grid connection. Furthermore, the company assumes all operational risk. This frees up capital for property owners and asset managers that would otherwise be tied up in expansion. Revenue sharing is realised through an agreed profit participation. This represents an alternative model to self-investment in electromobility, enabling hotel businesses to respond to the growing demand for charging facilities without burdening their balance sheets.
Strategic Relevance for Property Portfolios
Pluq offers owners the management of all charging stations via a central portal. This system records consumption, usage, and CO2 data for the entire portfolio, enabling a transparent overview of the charging infrastructure's performance. Pieter Zijlema, CEO and co-founder of Pluq, emphasised that such investment-free operator models are already well-established in the Netherlands. He clarified that for property owners and asset managers in Germany, providing charging infrastructure is increasingly becoming an essential part of their portfolio strategy, rather than an optional service. In this context, Pluq assumes full financial, technical, and reporting responsibility.
- —No investment costs for the owner.
- —No operational costs or risks for the hotel operator.
- —Transparent revenue sharing from the charging service.
- —Centralised reporting of consumption and usage data.
As part of the collaboration, four H24 Group locations have been commissioned. A fifth location in Berlin-Lichtenberg, which presents greater technical complexity, is currently in the planning phase for its grid connection. This project underscores the necessity for flexible solutions in expanding electromobility infrastructure in commercial properties.
Michael Gruenewald, Managing Director of the H24 Group, highlighted the changing role of charging infrastructure in the hotel industry. He explained that it has evolved from a 'nice-to-have' into a decisive booking criterion. The H24 Group's objective was to provide this service to hotel guests without having to assume the role of an infrastructure operator themselves. Pluq's model enabled precisely this implementation, by keeping the complexity and costs of the charging infrastructure away from the hotel group while simultaneously ensuring an important service for guests.
