One third of UK businesses that use company cars would consider installing electric charging points at employees’ homes, according to new research.
Following the pandemic, firms that use company vehicles appear keen to push forward their fleet electrification plans, the data from energy consultancy Centrica Business Solutions found.
Four in five firms said that the rise in home working had encouraged them to consider providing the charging points for staff.
Firms reported that one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption was managing the complexities of employees charging EVs at home and at public charging points
The news comes after it was revealed UK businesses plan to invest £15.8billion in the electrification of their fleets over the next year – a 50 per cent uplift on their spending during the previous 12 months.
With the Government’s ban on internal combustion engine vehicles less than a decade away, it all suggests that more firms are prepared to act now rather than risk delaying their own EV rollout.
‘The shift to more flexible working means firms are rethinking how they manage the transition to electric fleets and how they support their employees with the right charging infrastructure,’ said Greg McKenna, managing director of Centrica Business Solutions.
‘However, it’s important to note that a third of drivers don’t have access to off-street parking, meaning businesses will need a balance of home charging, workplace charging and a robust public charging network to achieve their electrification plans.
‘With the ban on traditionally-fuelled vehicles inching ever closer, and on-street charging costs prohibitively expensive, it’s likely we’ll see more employers offering to install home charging, alongside systems to help them manage the chargers and the energy they use.’
Despite the shift, 13 per cent of firms are moving in the opposite direction and cancelling their EV plans altogether as a result of the pandemic.
Firms reported that one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption was managing the complexities of employees charging EVs at home and at public charging points.
There are currently 15,399 locations across the UK which have public charging points installed, with the number of devices at those locations totalling 24,129 according to Zap-Map.
With the number of public charging points rising every month – 711 new devices were added to the Zap-Map database over the last 30 days – this may help to eventually alleviate some of these fears.
But companies with no plans to install remote charging points also claim to be put off by the upfront cost, operational challenges and uncertainty regarding installation partners.
The workplace charging scheme can reduce the purchase and installation cost of an EV charging point by 75 per cent, or up to £14,000.
It is capped at £350 per charge-point socket and can cover up to 40 sockets per business.
Small accommodation businesses, such as B&Bs, can also apply for funding to install devices at their locations.
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