On the face of it, there doesn’t seem much to consider. By 2035 we are supposed to be an all-electric country, vehicle wise. With the current voucher scheme of 75% of the cost of installation (up to £500/unit) paid for by government, maybe installing charging centres in the workplace sooner rather than later is the best option. Here are a few things to consider.
Electric Car Sales Increasing Year On Year
Although the percentage of plug-in electric vehicles and hybrids in the UK is still small, sales of electric vehicles are increasing exponentially year on year. With increasing fuel costs, stiffer emission targets for petrol and diesel vehicles, and more big cities and towns bringing in exclusion zones, electric and hybrid vehicle sales will continue to increase.
Improve Your Company’s Green Credentials
By installing electric charging points, whether for company vehicles or employees transport, you’re making a statement about your company’s commitment to help reduce carbon emissions.
Attracting New Staff
The ability to charge their electric car at the workplace is a good inducement for new workers who already own an electric vehicle. Not only that, but it may well encourage existing employees to change to electric power and the cheaper running costs that go with it.
Considerable Savings On Fleet Costs
Although current grants only allow for twenty charging stations for each business, that can be doubled to forty using dual socket charging stations. Changing to electric vans or cars can significantly reduce your fleet running costs, especially now when government is offering all sorts of incentives for businesses to go green.
Attract Customers
If you operate a wholesale or retail business, restaurant, leisure centre, or any other outlet with its own parking area, fitting EV charging points that can be used while the customers browse will be a big plus. Free or reduced cost charging when spending X amount in-store could also help increase footfall.
The Downside
The downside? There are over 35-million vehicles registered in the UK. Have you thought about how the National Grid is going to cope with charging over 35-million electric vehicles come 2035? Five, six or more new nuclear fuelled power stations to cope with the increase? The country having to buy the majority of its fuel gas from Europe or Russia? In twenty-odd years the cost of recharging electric vehicles, whether at home or at work will be increasing with every budget, just as petrol and diesel does today. We can help reconfigure your electrical infrastructure to reduce the burden of power distribution and ensure the most cost effective use of electricity on site.
Find Out More
Give some serious consideration to getting EV charging points installed at your workplace while the subsidies are still available. Lowe & Oliver are on the government’s register of approved suppliers and installers of EV charging points for home and business. Please call us on 01865 322200 (Oxford) or 02380 614700 (Southampton) and have a chat with one of our senior installers.
