Electric vehicle charging points
With the current climate crisis coming to more people's attention, a lot of people are now actively changing their lifestyles to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable. One of the biggest areas for carbon emissions in the UK has been the transport sector, with road transport accounting for 15% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Therefore this has led to the popularity of electric vehicles in the past couple of years. Electric vehicle sales increased over 75% in 2021, leading to around 3% of vehicles in the UK being electric or hybrid. By the end of this year, it has been projected that EVs will outsell diesel and hybrid diesel cars as they continue to rapidly increase in popularity.
However, with this increase in electric vehicle use, there also needs to be more places for people to charge their cars. EV charging stations are starting to be put in public car parks or off highways as the government is trying to rapidly increase the amount of charging space available by 2030 as they are planning to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by then.
Types of EV charging
there are three types of charging stations that you could consider incorporating into your business:
Level 1
these are slower chargers usually connected by a standard 3-pin wall outlet and require a common 120-volt household outlet. this type of charging works best with hybrid cars as they have a smaller battery, usually less than 25 kWh. However, this is good for home charge usage it might not be as applicable for your business.
Level 2
This is the most common type of charging used for daily EV charging and commercial use. this type of charger uses a higher voltage to charge the car at a much faster pace than a level 1 charger. Level 2 charging can provide 80 amps of power; however, this could include costly changes to your building’s current electricity supply, therefore most places are better suited to 40-48 amp that still chargers at a fast pace. Level 2 chargers are also compatible with most electric cars and vans, which makes them a more popular choice.
Level 3
Level 3 charging is the fastest type of charging available, also known as rapid charging. However, this charger requires a stronger electricity current, which is why they are not installed on home premises. These chargers were first brought out by Tesla, who called them superchargers this was followed by other companies who brought them out as DC chargers. Whilst these chargers can fully charge your car in under an hour, they are very expensive and would require a big investment for your company.
Why businesses are incorporating EV charging into their business
Many businesses are starting to make the switch to electric vehicles for their company cars or delivery and car service fleets. this means that they also require the capacity to charge these vehicles. However, even if your business does not have any company vehicles there still could be a few reasons why you should consider charging points.
As we mentioned above if your business offers company cars, is based on delivery or has a fleet then it might be best to start thinking about setting a long-term strategy to have these cars replaced with hybrid or pure electric vehicles. Many businesses have started to do this to reduce their scope 1 and 2 emissions, which are greenhouse gasses that are generated directly from your business.
Improving sustainability in your business is going to prove as a massive advantage, not only is it going to be cheaper in the long run but also make your business more competitive. Hybrid and EVs whilst will be an investment, have much cheaper running costs than paying for fuel for your current petrol or diesel cars. Also, the benefit tax rate stands at 30% for high emission vehicles whereas it only stands at 2% for electric vehicles. therefore making further savings for your business.
By 2030 the government have announced that they want to stop the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. This means that it could be best for your business to adopt this intuition sooner rather than later.
As we mentioned earlier with the climate crisis the general public is becoming more concerned about climate change. Therefore people want to support and work for businesses that are showing change towards environmental sustainability. By installing EV chargers for your employees and customers to use at your business premises it shows that your business is in support of this change and is also adapting for the future. Read more about consumers’ opinions on sustainability.
Schemes to consider before installing chargers
As the government want to excel in the use of electric car use, they are setting out a workplace charging scheme (WCS) to help with the cost of installing EV charge points. This scheme aims at helping businesses and is offered by the office for zero-emission vehicles.
When you apply for this grant you could see the cost of a charging station be reduced by 75%. your business could claim this for up to 40 sockets, capped at £350 per socket. to apply for this grant your business will have to comply with certain conditions such as:
- Your business or organization 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 for this you will need to fill out an application form which then you will be emailed a voucher code if you are accepted on the scheme.
Final requirements you may need for planning
Before you start planning to add EV chargers to your workplace, ensure that your business meets all the requirements needed.
- 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.
Working with Resolve
Installing EV technology and finding the best vehicles for your fleet could be time-consuming, especially if you have a business to run. That is why as part of our net zero and plans we will find the best EV infrastructure for your business and help you with making the switch to EV.
If you're looking to save money on your energy bills then why not get in touch today? The relationships Resolve Energy has developed with over 24 of the UK’s biggest business energy suppliers allows our energy experts to source the best business energy rates available for your company right when you need them. Request a free quote today and start saving money on your energy.
