The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in rural Zambian towns is limited by inadequate charging infrastructure and associated costs. A mixed-method approach combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews to assess potential demand and cost-effectiveness of EV charging stations in rural settings. Data indicates that 40% of respondents are willing to pay up to $2 per day for reliable EV charging, suggesting a viable market segment despite high initial investment costs. The developed framework provides valuable insights into the feasibility and impact of EV adoption in rural Zambia’s charging infrastructure development. Future research should prioritise pilot projects to refine cost-benefit analysis and tailor solutions for specific geographic and socio-economic conditions. The maintenance outcome was modelled as $Y_{it}=\beta_0+\beta_1X_{it}+u_i+\varepsilon_{it}$, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.