Bonus colonnine domestiche: Selling the wallbox is just the beginning
Alessandro Cicerchia, Country Manager for Italy at chargecloud, clearly remembers a phrase he heard time and again when selling charge points: “A me basta che carica”, loosely translated as “As long as it charges.” Back then, that reflected the reality: the basic charging function was what mattered. Today, that is no longer the case.
Customers having a wallbox installed are increasingly asking: Who monitors the charge point? Who manages access? What happens if something stops working? For installers, full-service providers and electrical wholesalers, these are not peripheral questions – they represent a business opportunity.
The Bonus colonnine domestiche now provides an incentive to seize that business opportunity.
Blog 06.10.2026
Bonus colonnine domestiche: A boost for private charging projects
Since September 2026, the Italian government has been subsidising the purchase and installation of private charging infrastructure. The grant covers up to 80% of eligible costs: up to €1,500 for individuals and up to €8,000 for condominium owners’ communities (condomini).
Individuals resident in Italy and condominium owners’ communities are eligible to apply. Businesses cannot apply for the grant themselves. Subsidised charge points are intended for private or shared use and must not be publicly accessible.
Installations carried out between 26 June and 31 December 2026 are eligible. Applications have been open since 22 September 2026 and can be submitted until 12 noon on 31 January 2027 – but only after purchase and installation. Invitalia processes applications in the order they are received. As funding is limited, it is worth checking the current funding status before planning a project. The applicable information provided by Invitalia is binding.
For installers, full-service providers and electrical wholesalers, the bonus is not a direct subsidy. It does, however, lower the barrier to starting private charging projects and can give individuals and condominium owners’ communities a concrete reason to go ahead. For providers, this can be the start of a customer relationship – but it is not yet a sustainable business model.
When hardware becomes interchangeable, operations make the difference
Regulations are standardising basic charging functions, shifting competition increasingly towards price and putting margins under pressure. Businesses that sell hardware alone are feeling the impact.
The real value comes after installation: monitoring the charge point, managing access, being available when faults occur, and recording and billing energy consumption. This is where a one-off transaction becomes a customer relationship.
That requires a clear service commitment. Not every business needs to take on the same role as an operator, but each should know which responsibilities it can reliably fulfil after commissioning. Providers that define and deliver on those responsibilities stay relevant. Those that do not simply hand over the installation and lose contact.
What matters after commissioning
Once installation is complete, day-to-day operations begin. Charge points need to be monitored, access managed and energy consumption recorded. Where multiple sites or parties are involved, additional tasks include billing, allocating costs and revenue, or managing faults.
Electrical installers can offer monitoring and ongoing technical support alongside installation. Full-service providers coordinate operations, reporting, billing and collaboration with site partners. Electrical wholesalers can expand their offering for installation partners to include operational and software services – independently or together with specialist partners.
The right services depend on the site, the client’s expectations and the provider’s own role. What matters is this: providers that offer customers clearly defined services after commissioning stay relevant and lay the groundwork for recurring revenue.
The backend that connects charging infrastructure and services
Providers looking to operate charge points after installation need a central overview of status, access, energy consumption and faults. A Charge Point Management System (CPMS) provides the operational foundation: it brings together core operational functions and can be expanded step by step – from basic monitoring to more complex billing and partner processes.
The chargecloud OS goes beyond a conventional CPMS. Monitoring, access management, billing and partner management come together in one system that scales with the business model. Providers starting with monitoring today can use the same system to handle revenue sharing and coordinate multiple site partners tomorrow. Local tax and billing requirements – including those relevant to the Italian market – can also be taken into account within the business model.
By taking ongoing responsibility for their customers’ operations and service needs, providers lay the foundation for stable, long-term business relationships.
The charge point is the beginning – not the end
The Bonus colonnine domestiche makes private charging projects more attractive in the short term and helps customers reach decisions sooner. For installers, full-service providers and electrical wholesalers, however, the real opportunity lies elsewhere: the customer relationship must not end when the installation is handed over.
A charge point is not a finished product. It is the starting point for operations, ongoing support and further services. The subsidy makes that first step easier. What follows depends on whether the provider remains a reliable partner after installation and what added value it can offer. The right software setup can make all the difference.
