Electric vehicle charging points at work
As people are being a lot more aware of the looming climate crisis, they are trying to find ways to change their lifestyles to reduce their carbon footprint. One of the main contributions to the carbon emissions in the UK has been transport. Road transport accounts for around 15% of total CO2 levels.
This had led to many people driving electric vehicles or hybrid cars instead of petrol or diesel cars. Currently, the EV car market is booming. EV car sales increased by 76.3% in 2021 and there is an estimation of around 477,000 electric cars and around 790,000 plug-in hybrids, up until June 2022. This means that 2-3% of all cars in the UK are either electric or hybrid. By the end of 2022, it has been projected that electric vehicle sales will outsell diesel and hybrid-diesel cars. This shows that there is continuing rapid increase in EV infrastructure in the UK.
What are EV charging stations?
Charging stations for electric cars also known as electric vehicle supply equipment are becoming more popular in parking locations either by retail shopping centres or private companies. As public demand grows for electric vehicles there is more of a need for these charging points as well as equipment that supports faster charging at higher voltages.
There are many different types of chargers your business could consider installing. While it might seem like a good idea to have the fastest and most advanced technology installed, it might be best for your business to consider all the options first.
Level 1
Also known as slower chargers, these are most typically used for home charging. They are mostly used for hybrid cars as they can add around 3-5 miles of range per hour. Level one charging uses around a 120-volt household outlet. Although these can be used for business purposes, if you were going to use electric vehicles as part of your business or transport purposes this option may not be as feasible.
Level 2
This is the most popular type of commercial charger. This is also known as a fast charger; they are most popular for business use as depending on the make and model of a car a vehicle can be fully charged within around 3-5 hours with one of these. Level 2 or fast chargers are usually compatible with all EVs allowing staff to fully charge their vehicle whilst working.
Level 3
This charger type is also known as a rapid charger and is usually the most efficient way of charging an EV. With a rapid charger model, most cars will be charged at least 80% in around 30 minutes. This could be a good choice for your business if you have a physical customer store as it could give customers the option to recharge whilst they shop. However not all EVs support rapid charging and there can be further requirements for your business to have these types of chargers.
Benefits of EV for your business
As Electric vehicles are becoming more popular it’s time that businesses started thinking about how to provide car charging stations to support their staff and customers. From the statistics above you can see that the EV industry is rapidly growing. If your business does not invest to keep up with this change, then you could be left behind in terms of business. However, if you begin to adopt this transition early on then you can be one step ahead of your competition. Apart from improving your bottom line, there are many benefits for your business when it comes to installing EV charging stations.
If you offer your employees company cars or your business relies on cars or vans, you should consider changing to EV. As the rest of the world is trying to reduce carbon levels your business is no different. One way you can start to make your business more sustainable is to start using electric or hybrid vehicles. Electrical vehicles are cheaper for your business to run and cheaper in tax than a regular petrol car. The benefit tax rate for higher emission company vehicles is over 30% whereas it is 2% for electric vehicles. This means that electric vehicles could make a significant saving for your business.
By 2030 the government have announced that they want to stop the sale of new petrol or diesel cars. Therefore, if you own a business that relies on company cars it might be the best time to start making the switch to electric vehicles now. Also, all businesses are required to make innovative changes in line with net zero guidelines. By changing your company cars to electric vehicles, you will be getting rid of a large proportion of your company’s emissions allowing you to get ahead of your competition when it comes to sustainability.
What is WCS why should I consider this
Although installing EV chargers are a good business choice, not everybody has the funding for this innovation. However luckily for UK businesses the government has set out a workplace charging scheme to reduce the costs of installing EV charging points. This scheme aims at aiding business and is offered by the office for Zero Emission Vehicles.
By applying for this grant your business could benefit from the price of a new workplace charging station being reduced by 75%. A business can also claim up to 40 sockets on this grant, capped at £350 per socket. To apply for this, grant your business or organization does have to comply with some conditions:
- Your business or organisation must have sufficient street parking that is only available to staff.
- Your business does not need to have electric vehicles as part of their fleet for this scheme however you must show a need for this in the future.
- You must also have the charging station installed by an OZEV-approved installer.
To apply to the WCS today you will need to fill out an application form, then you will be emailed your voucher code if you are successful which will explain which type of charging stations are required. Your voucher will only be available for 180 days from the date of issue so make sure you are ready to install charging stations before your application.
Requirements for EV charger installation in the workplace
Finally, before you start planning to add EV chargers to your workplace car parks there are some final requirements for you to consider.
- Firstly, as discussed above you need to ensure that you are installing OZEV accredited charging stations. This is to ensure that you will meet the requirements for the workplace charging grant.
- Before installing EV chargers, it is also important to look at your current available electricity capacity and whether this is going to be able to suffice for EV charging. Usually, your current electricity supply will not, and you will have to also look into a load management system to avoid any blackouts.
