Saudi banks are installing EV chargers at their branches for three reasons: Vision 2030 requirements, ESG standards for environmental, social and governance performance, and the growing number of customers who drive electric vehicles.
Riyad Bank, Bank Albilad and Arab National Bank are among the first Saudi financial institutions to equip their branches with EV chargers, working with Climatech Charger. This article looks at why banks are doing this, the expected return on investment, and what we learned from the installations.
The shift toward electric mobility in Saudi Arabia
Vision 2030 targets electric vehicles making up around 30% of vehicles in major cities by 2030. Government initiatives toward this goal include easier EV imports, customs duty exemptions for EVs and mandatory charging infrastructure standards for new buildings.
The number of EVs registered in the Kingdom doubles every year, and new registrations passed tens of thousands in 2025 alone. Charging infrastructure has to grow at least as fast, and the private sector, led by the banks, can help close the gap.
Why banks? The advantages of installing chargers at branches
1. Longer customer visits and more cross-selling
Customers whose car is charging tend to stay longer in the branch. Bank staff can use those extra minutes to present personal financing, credit cards and wealth management services, which raises the revenue from each visit.
2. Attracting high-income customers
Most EV owners in the Kingdom are in the high-income and upper-middle-income brackets, the customers banks value most for deposits and investment portfolios. Free or subsidized charging helps a bank attract and keep them.
3. Stronger ESG and sustainability ratings
ESG criteria are now a standard part of evaluating financial institutions, in Saudi Arabia and abroad. The Saudi Central Bank, SAMA, is paying more attention to sustainability practices at licensed banks. EV chargers cut the carbon footprint of a bank's operations and add to its annual sustainability report.
4. Alignment with Vision 2030 and national responsibility
As major national institutions, Saudi banks share responsibility for supporting the country's economic and environmental plans. Charging infrastructure serves the goals of the National Transport Strategy and the Saudi Green Initiative.
Case study: Climatech Charger's work with Saudi banks
Riyad Bank: more than 21 branches equipped with chargers
Riyad Bank is one of the first Saudi banks to install EV chargers on a large scale. Climatech Charger installed chargers at more than 21 branches in several cities across the Kingdom. The project used 7 kW and 22 kW AC chargers, sized to match typical customer wait times of 30 minutes to one hour.
Each branch started with a site survey to pick the charger location and assess the existing electrical infrastructure. We then installed dedicated protection breakers and connected the chargers to a central charge point management system. The bank uses this CPMS to monitor usage and generate reports.
Bank Albilad: 12 branches and an expansion plan
Climatech Charger installed EV chargers at 12 branches of Bank Albilad. The project focused on high-traffic branches with larger parking areas, easy access and clear signage for customers. The bank is now extending the project to branches in new regions.
Arab National Bank: a phased rollout guided by data
Arab National Bank chose a phased rollout. It started with selected branches in Riyadh and Jeddah and analyzed usage data before expanding. The data showed where to place chargers and what power rating each branch needed, based on visitor numbers and the share of EV owners nearby.
Return on investment
Many decision-makers in banking ask whether EV chargers make economic sense.
Beyond any direct charging revenue, chargers bring indirect returns:
- Higher customer satisfaction: charging improves the customer experience and raises loyalty and retention rates.
- Free media coverage: sustainability initiatives get wide media attention, which builds brand awareness.
- Improved credit and sustainability ratings: international rating agencies factor ESG criteria into their assessment of financial institutions.
- Attracting investors: responsible investment funds favor companies with a clear commitment to sustainability.
Challenges banks faced and how they solved them
Existing electrical infrastructure
Many bank branches were built before EVs arrived, and their electrical systems were not designed for charging loads. Climatech Charger surveyed each branch and chose the fix that suited it, such as a panel upgrade or smart load balancing that prevents overloading the grid.
Parking management
Banks set aside dedicated EV charging bays with clear signage. To stop non-EVs from blocking these bays, some branches installed CCTV and automated barriers that open only through the charging app.
Staff training
Climatech Charger gave branch staff short training sessions on common customer questions about charging, handling minor faults, and showing customers how to use the charger and charging app.
Climatech Charger's integrated solutions for banks
For banks, Climatech Charger's service covers:
- Consultation and design: we study the site and set the number of chargers and their power ratings from customer traffic data.
- Supply and installation: supplying chargers from approved global brands and installing them to Saudi and international standards.
- Charge point management system, or CPMS: a digital platform that lets the bank monitor all chargers remotely, track usage, generate energy reports, and manage access and payments.
- Maintenance and technical support: scheduled maintenance contracts, fast fault response, genuine spare parts and remote monitoring that catches problems early.
- Phased expansion: flexible plans that let you add new chargers as demand grows.
The future of EV chargers in the Saudi banking sector
We expect Saudi banks to adopt EV chargers faster in 2026 and beyond, for several reasons:
- Tighter sustainability disclosure requirements from the Saudi Central Bank and the Capital Market Authority.
- Rapid growth in the number of EVs registered in the Kingdom.
- Charger costs continuing to decline and technology improving year over year.
- Competition among banks to offer a better customer experience.
- The potential to turn chargers into an additional revenue stream through paid charging apps.
We also expect banks to add DC fast chargers of 50 to 120 kW at their flagship branches and headquarters, for customers who need a quick top-up during a short visit.
Our recommendation to banks: don't wait until chargers become mandatory. Banks that start now build a sustainability record early. Latecomers will have to catch up under regulatory and competitive pressure.
Advice for banks planning to install chargers at their branches
- Start with high-traffic branches: pick the branches with the most daily visitors, so the chargers get the most use.
- Choose a specialized partner: work with a company that has a proven record of installing chargers for commercial and banking clients, not just a hardware reseller.
- Think about the full system: don't just buy a charger. Make sure you also have a CPMS, a maintenance contract and ongoing technical support.
- Measure impact and analyze the data: track utilization and customer satisfaction, and base expansion decisions on that data.
- Promote the service: let your customers know chargers are available at the branch through the mobile banking app, SMS messages, and in-branch signage.
Do you run bank branches or commercial sites and plan to install EV chargers?
The Climatech Charger team has delivered EV charger projects for banking and commercial clients at dozens of sites. We offer a free feasibility study and a full quote covering supply, installation, maintenance and the management system.
