COMPANIES are planning for an electric future. On-site electric vehicle (EV) charging is set to double, says a new report from leasing and mobility provider Arval.
According to its latest research, businesses offering on-site EV charging is currently at 20% but the report reveals that this is planned to double to 40% within 12 months.
This represents a relatively important shift in supporting drivers who choose or are provided with an electric car or van through their employer. It means EV drivers visiting other companies should be able to increasingly access charging for their return or subsequent journey, saving time and presumably also accessing cheaper power than if they had to pay for public charging.
Shaun says that companies need to consider the mix of charging points that it installs depending on the requirements of staff and visitors.
One set of drivers may need access to a rapid charger to get sufficient additional miles, while for another group of drivers a slower charger will be adequate.
“Whether this all materialises in exactly the manner we’d hope is difficult to say – employees could ‘hog’ the chargers on their own company car park, but it does hopefully mark the beginning of a crucial infrastructure shift towards noticeably wider charger availability,” adds Shaun.
While more employers are looking to upgrade their facilities with EV chargers, there are fewer now offering free charging.
Last year 29% of companies offered free charging – this year it’s 17% according to the Mobility Observatory report.
It puts the fall down to the increase in the cost of electricity.
In terms of helping employees with the cost of an EV home charger, the report found that a third (32%) paid for the installation costs, while 16% left it to the drivers to pay for installation costs.
Shaun added:
It will be interesting to see how this situation develops as we head towards the 2030 new combustion engine deadline with increased pressure for as much home charging to be made available as possible. Charging at home tends to be one of the cheapest options for EV users, so helping them to access that power by paying for charger installation will make sense for many employers.
The main picture shows the on-site charging facilities available at Arval UK’s Swindon headquarters. Arval installed 50 EV chargers for its employees.
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