Background
EVCS is building one of the largest electric car charging networks on the West Coast, with high-quality fast charging stations spanning major highways and urban centers. The physical infrastructure was solid. The business needed to grow its subscriber base to achieve long-term sustainability and attract new investors.
The Challenge
A strong network on the ground, and a subscriber base that had not caught up to it:
- Strong charging station network, low subscription adoption. Drivers used the stations; too few committed to a plan.
- Acquisition cost of $492 per subscriber. At that price, growth worked against the business instead of for it.
- Fundraising on the clock. EVCS needed rapid, credible traction to support investor fundraising efforts.
The Strategy
Pair a disciplined acquisition engine with creative worth clicking on, and point everything at one action: the subscription.
Paid media built for subscribers, not one-off charges
Meta Ads and Google Ads launched and optimized against EV drivers in California and the Pacific Northwest, with funnel structures designed to convert interest into long-term subscriptions rather than one-off charges.
Cinematic creative production
Noble Growth partnered with Born Ready Films to elevate EVCS’s brand imagery: a Rivian and a Tesla rented and filmed on a cinematic drive up the California coast, plus drone footage and professional photography of EVCS charging stations to power the ad creative.
Iterative optimization
Messaging angles tested head to head, cost savings vs. convenience vs. sustainability, with the learnings reinvested into creative and targeting to maximize ROI.
The Results
In three months, the cost per subscriber fell from $492 to $21, a 95% reduction, and EVCS grew its subscriber base at scale while maintaining profitability.
The work also left EVCS with a library of premium video and photo assets for long-term brand use, and the traction helped secure their next round of funding, validating the growth trajectory and investor confidence.
Why It Works
The EVCS playbook applies to any subscription business where the unit economics decide the fundraise:
- Sell the subscription, not the transaction. Funnels built for one-off purchases fill a leaky bucket. Funnels built for the plan compound.
- Creative is a cost lever. Cinematic, brand-true footage earns cheaper clicks than stock ever will, and the asset library keeps paying after the campaign ends.
- Test the message, not just the media. Cost savings, convenience, and sustainability are three different buyers. Let the data pick the winner.
- Acquisition cost is the investor story. A CPA falling from $492 to $21 is traction a term sheet can be built on.
Conclusion
By combining data-driven acquisition strategy with cinematic brand storytelling, Noble Growth positioned EVCS not just as another charging option, but as the future of EV travel. Cost per subscriber fell 95% in three months, the subscriber base grew at scale, and the next round of funding followed.