Amidst technological advancements, and growing pressure from consumers and the government to make steps to reduce climate change, the electric vehicle market has grown exceedingly fast and is showing no sign of slowing down.
Marion Hanson
Marketing Assistant
In 2030, there will even be a ban on new sales of petrol and diesel cars in the UK, meaning UK businesses of all shapes and sizes must prepare to make the shift to electric.
For commercial fleets in particular, electrification can bring about many advantages. For example, you can expect to pay £4 per 100 miles for an EV compared to £14 per 100 miles for the same-sized petrol or diesel car. With cheaper running costs, and a wealth of environmental benefits, it’s no wonder businesses are placing a greater focus on EV technology.
However, it’s a new area for many, and businesses are loaded with questions around infrastructure, costs, compatibility, and charging times. That’s why we’ve created this guide to electric charging points, which should help you get up to speed. Read on to learn about:
Depending on the type of electric vehicle you own, the charging infrastructure and capabilities of your fleet will vary. The main types of electric vehicles include:
There are four distinct types of electric vehicle charging – slow, fast, rapid, and ultra-rapid. This charging is categorised into either direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC).
It’s estimated that a fully charged electric vehicle can travel 100-300 miles before needing to be charged again. However, similar to a mobile phone, EV owners will often top up their charge rather than running it from full charge to nothing.
Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in public electric vehicle charging stations. At the end of July 2022, there has been a recorded over 33,000 charging points across the UK according to Zap Map.
The cost of charging your electric vehicle depends on which charging point you’re using. Public electric charging points are usually free to use, as well as at businesses where employers install workplace chargers.
For rapid charging points, these usually require a fee at motorway services. Typically, this will cost £11 for a 30 minute, 90 mile charge. Read more about the cost of EV charging.
The majority of EV charging stations will accept card payments. Some might require you to download an app to pay.
If you manage a fleet, you may be concerned about how to manage the costs of EV charging. It is still possible to use fuel cards to pay to charge electric vehicles. For example, the Shell EV Card can help you save 2p per kWh which you can access at over 7500 EV charging points across the UK. Not only this, with the same card you can access over 3,800 stations for traditional fuel too if you’re operating a mixed fleet.
If you’re concerned about transitioning your fleet to an electric, or semi-electric model, get in touch with our experts to learn more about how we can support you with the right charge cards and technology.
Another benefit of going electric is that all EVs are exempt from the London Congestion Charge and the Ultra-Low Emission Zone charge.
Having an EV charging point installed at your business is not only positive for the environment, but it’s an additional perk for employees. For businesses with an EV fleet, it may be beneficial to invest in charging points to charge vehicles overnight before shifts begin in the morning.
The Workplace Charging Scheme offers a government funded grant which covers up to 75% of the costs of purchasing and installing an EV charge point. This is capped at £350 per socket for up to 40 sockets per applicant. All you need to do is complete the Workplace Charging Scheme application form and, if successful, you’ll be issued a unique voucher to give to ChargePoint installers.
For individuals who want to charge their electric vehicle at home, you can have an electric charging port installed at your property. As with workplaces, the government offers the £350 subsidy towards purchasing and installing through the EV ChargePoint grant at domestic properties.
The average cost for the EV charger itself as well as installation is £1,000, or £650 if successful for the government grant. 3kW chargers will be cheaper to install in comparison to 7kW chargers, so it’s important to consider which is the best for you.
It could be a feasible model for some businesses to offset the cost of home EV charging for vehicles that are to conduct business mileage. Government funding to support the installation of charging infrastructure is still accessible in this instance, making it an option that’s worth exploring for businesses.
It’s clear that electric vehicles are here to stay and will eventually become the norm as petrol and diesel cars cease to be made after 2030. As a result, it’s time to consider how EVs can be managed by your business through electric fuel cards.
To find out more about electrifying a commercial fleet, see how Motia can help with your Electric Vehicle transition. If you’d like further advice on how Motia could help you manage your electrical fleet, get in touch with our expert team today.
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