The Challenge: Navigating the "8 % Hurdle"
EVIQ has successfully established itself as the leading electric vehicle charging provider in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To encourage people to switch to EVs, they initially offered free charging, which helped their 60 operational locations achieve a solid 4.1 % median utilization rate.
However, in January 2026, EVIQ transitioned to a commercialized, paid-service model. Entering this next phase of growth required a significant strategic shift. EVIQ set a highly aggressive target: double their network utilization to 8 % for 2027, with the ultimate goal of hitting a world-class 15 % benchmark by 2030.
Achieving these world-class numbers meant EVIQ could no longer rely on a "land-grab" strategy of simply putting chargers everywhere; they had to shift to highly strategic, high-performance asset management. Zoniq was brought in to evaluate EVIQ's pipeline of 150 potential new locations to figure out exactly how to bridge this gap and hit those ambitious commercial targets.
Zoniq's Solution: Data-Driven Insights and Smarter Planning
To provide an objective, evidence-based roadmap, Zoniq deployed its location intelligence platform to stress-test the 150 proposed sites against current market realities.
- The "Rightsizing" Protocol: We proved that hitting the 8 % target heavily depends on how much hardware would be built on day one. Going all-in with four 150 kW chargers would suppress utilization. Instead, Zoniq recommended a minimalist entry: install just 1 charger to start, and use an "Expand-on-Demand" trigger so EVIQ only spends capital on more hardware when the demand proves it's needed.
- Avoiding "Cannibalization": We wanted to make sure new chargers brought in new business, rather than just stealing sessions from existing stations. Our analysis showed that the capital city, Riyadh, is reaching saturation. Building a new site too close to an existing EVIQ hub slaps it with an average 23 % occupancy penalty. On the flip side, geographies like Jeddah and the Eastern Province are wide open, offering nearly 100 % incremental value.
The Impact: A Two-Track Expansion Strategy
Zoniq's data made one thing clear: hitting an 8 % utilization rate across the board required EVIQ to be ruthlessly selective. We proposed splitting the 150-site pipeline into two distinct groups:
- The Performance Group: Concentrated in high-wealth micro-markets. These locations are prioritized for immediate deployment to hit the 8 %+ target and bank short-term revenue.
- The Strategic Group: Intercity and highway spines that create the market but may naturally underperform early on. These sites will utilize the "Rightsizing Protocol," minimizing CAPEX while maintaining EVIQ's role as a national market enabler.
Ultimately, EVIQ used these insights to categorize their pipeline into clear, actionable tiers (A, B, and C) and adopted a "Fix-or-Divest" framework to actively manage their assets.
"Zoniq's insights changed how we view our pipeline. By introducing the Rightsizing Protocol, they gave us a concrete, data-backed roadmap to hit our 8 % utilization target without sacrificing our role as a national market enabler."
— Amjad Faidl, CCO, EVIQ
