The puzzle pieces of electric vehicle charging

With the number of EVs on the UK’s roads approaching a million, the spotlight has been on the government to ensure that charging provision keeps up with EV uptake. But fleet, destination, home and workplace charging can all help with the bigger picture

The 2030 ban on the manufacture and petrol and diesel vehicles will see EV numbers skyrocket. Current charge point numbers aren’t growing fast enough – and this is now affecting buyer confidence in the same way range anxiety did in the past. But organisations can help the UK achieve its charging infrastructure targets – while enjoying financial and reputational benefits.

Zapmap calculates that there are nearly 44,000 public chargers on the UK’s roads, as of May 2023. The government has stated its aim to have a total of 300,000 in place by 2030. In 2021, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) called for the installation of 2.3 million.

These figures don’t include the estimated 400,000 mostly non-public charge points already across home and workplace locations. But, nevertheless, the UK’s facing a huge task to meet the growing charging requirement, both on main routes and in residential settings.

Organisations are increasingly recognising the benefits of investing in charging facilities. From offering public charging services at destinations, through installing charge points at fleet depots, to providing charging facilities to staff, infrastructure investment is good for business.

But organisations’ gain is also the government’s gain. Certain infrastructure installations, such as those at retail or entertainment destinations, double up as public facilities. Businesses installing charge points at their workplaces can choose to extend the invitation to the public. And any charging facility implementation – even if only for private use – reduces the strain on the UK’s public-facing charging infrastructure.

Installing charging facilities at destination locations can generate a new revenue stream while offering a competitive advantage over rivals. While charge stations are a convenience for some customers now, they’ll be an expectation for the majority in the future.

Providing charge points at shopping centres, exhibition centres and entertainment complexes ensures businesses don’t get left behind. But doing so can also increase customers’ dwell times, inviting them to spend more while onsite. There’s the opportunity to connect charging facilities to loyalty schemes to encourage and reward return visits, too. Destinations have the potential to provide a meaningful impact on the UK’s charging capacity shortfall. They can offer accessible public charging locations and reduce the strain on major-route and residential facilities.

As organisations switch their transportation, maintenance and delivery fleets to EVs, they’ll need to be sure that electrification doesn’t affect their day-to-day operations. Key to this is the provision of charging facilities that keep vehicles on the go. It’s important to consider where and when fleet EVs are spending their time idle. In most instances drivers will leave vans either at the depot or outside their homes overnight. In the latter case, organisations will need to work out whether it’s practical for these drivers to use their personal vehicles to get to the depot each day. If it’s not, installing chargers at drivers’ homes might improve efficiencies. Either way, organisations will be making sure vehicles are fully charged for the start of the working day – but also taking advantage of cheaper, off-peak electricity prices. Organisations can decide whether they want to limit the use of their charging facilities to company drivers – or open it up to site staff and the wider public.

Offering charging facilities in office car parks can prove beneficial in recruitment and retention of staff. Employers can offer free or reduced charging to employees as a workplace benefit.

Having charge points outside the office (and offering free charging to visitors) also acts as a visible symbol of an organisation’s commitment to sustainability. Charge points in workplaces and for fleets – even though they’re not primarily for public use – reduce the burden on public charging facilities.

There are two major sticking points for organisations installing charge stations and supporting the development of the UK’s charging infrastructure. The first is not knowing where to start. Although an organisation may recognise the benefits of electrification and even be able to foresee financial and reputational advantages, that doesn’t mean electrification’s a switch to simply flick. That’s why engaging a specialist EV implementation partner can prove invaluable. From mapping out the transition journey and building the business case to installing hardware and managing maintenance, an expert partner can make electrification achievable. The second barrier to adoption is cost – financial outlay and the cost of disruption to business as usual. An EV partner that’s able to see the bigger picture can help overcome this, too. They’ll be aware of available government incentives and may be able to support with the application. They’ll analyse the electrical capacity of your sites and plan to maximise efficiencies while minimising installation disturbance. And they’ll understand both your business objectives and the regulatory landscape, enabling them to recommend stable, scalable and future-proof solutions. L