Employers can help accelerate the switch to Electric Vehicles by providing charging facilities at their workplaces. Half of UK drivers say they would be more likely to switch to an EV if they could charge at work, according to a YouGov survey.
It found that workplace charging was welcomed even more by drivers who used to own an EV or plug-in hybrid car – eight in ten said they would be more likely to buy an EV.
Cecilia Routledge, Global Director, Energy and Facilities for global vehicle charging manufacturer CTEK, which commissioned ther study, said: “This shows how important workplace charging is to the overall development of the UK’s charging infrastructure.
“Employers can not only help their workers and the UK’s drive towards net zero, they can also make themselves more attractive to potential recruits.
“Early adopters of EVs tended to have access to a driveway or garage where they could install home charging units. But as the market penetration of EVs grows, more people who do not have off-street parking will have EVs and need a reliable place to charge away from home.”
The survey found that only half of EV owners are now charging at home (down from 78% in 2021), with 20 per cent now charging at work.
It also found the drivers in the North of England were the most likely to be encouraged to drive electric by having charging at work (56%) whilst London and Scotland (both 45%) were less likely.
There are multiple reasons for employers who have staff car parks to install EV charging points, plus the incentive of the UK Government’s grants of thousands of pounds
Routledge (aboive) said: “Younger employees are a key recruitment target for many employers faced with hard to fill vacancies and skills gaps. Younger people are also a demographic less likely to be home owners and more likely to live in housing without off-street parking and access to home chargers for EVs.
“So there are multiple reasons for employers who have staff car parks to install EV charging points, plus the incentive of the UK Government’s grants of thousands of pounds for up to 75% of the project costs.” Thanks to the EV Infrastructure Grant Scheme (IGS), UK registered businesses with less than 250 employees can claim grants of up to £15,000 and can claim five grants in total for five separate sites.
At each site, there must be a minimum of five clearly marked staff-only parking spaces with charging infrastructure installed, and at least one of those spaces must have an active charge point.
Employers installing a dual socket charger would be able to claim a range of incentives such as £350 per socket for the charger, £500 for each of the two parking spaces. There is also the Government’s Workplace Charging Scheme which offers grants of up to £350 per socket for up to 40 sockets but does not include infrastructure costs.
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