Charging At Work – 7 Things You Need To Know About Getting An EV Charge Point In Your Office
Across the country, more and more businesses in the facilities management industry are making a conscious effort to reduce their corporate carbon emissions and become more sustainable. There are many ways for FM businesses to improve their sustainability credentials, with one of the biggest being the adoption of electric vehicle usage.
Here, ENGIE’s EV Solutions business, a leading provider of integrated electric vehicle charging solutions in the UK, shares the top things you need to know about getting an EV charge point installed at your workplace and the seven key benefits of going electric – whether for your staff or your fleet.
1: You can receive a Workplace Charging Grant from the Government
The government offers initiatives for workplace charging to make it more accessible for businesses to go green. Make use of the Government’s ‘Workplace Charging Grant’ scheme, which allows businesses to claim up to £14,000 towards the cost of installing EV Charging. The scheme was introduced by the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles to help support and encourage organisations looking to install electric vehicle charging facilities at their workplace – so make the most of it!
You could also be eligible to take advantage of tax super-deductions on new plant and machinery as announced in this year’s budget, which are applicable to EV charge points. This new policy will allow companies to cut their tax bill by up to 25p for every £1 invested.
2: And you can even turn it into a revenue stream for your business
When you install EV charging points at your workplace, you can make the decision to make them available for public use as well as for your employees. In doing so, you can establish a separate public tariff, whereby you can charge the public who use your charge points – in order to generate revenue. You can even set dedicated tariffs for different groups of drivers, allowing you to personalise pricing for the likes of staff, visitors and the public. This could provide you with the opportunity to generate revenue through the EV charge points installed at your sites.
3: There are clear benefits for employees too
Following the installation of electric charging points at your workplace, the next step is to encourage employees to make the most of them – and there are some huge benefits to inform them of. Employees can take advantage of several new government initiatives, enabling employees to make the switch to an electric vehicle with 0% BIK tax (rising to 1% as of1st of April 2021).
In addition to this, the recharging cost of an EV is likely to be much cheaper than refuelling a petrol or diesel vehicle. Having dedicated workplace charging points will help support your employees in keeping their EV charged up. Informing your employees of these benefits could encourage them to switch to an EV vehicle and enable your business to become collectively more sustainable.
4: It will considerably reduce your businesses carbon footprint
In order to achieve the UK’s ambitious goals to be net zero carbon by 2050, it’s vital that everyone plays their part – including business of all shapes and sizes. With vehicle emissions currently being one of the main contributors to air pollution, installing EV charging points at your workplace is a considered place to start and could have a significant impact. By changing to electric vehicles for your company fleet and employee company car options, or by encouraging members of staff to utilise the charging points, you can considerably reduce your corporate carbon footprint. This will reduce both emissions and the overall running costs of vehicles.
5: You can choose a charger to suit you and your workplace
It’s not a one size fits all when it comes to EV charging points, which is why there are various devices you can choose from to find a suitable charging point for your workplace. There are three main types of chargers available that would be suitable for workplace charging which include:
- Fast Charging Ground and Post Mounted Chargers
- Wall Mounted Chargers
- Rapid Chargers
This means that when it comes to getting an EV charge point installed at your office, you can pick the charger most suitable for your space. Whether that’s something small and compact to be attached to a wall if your car parking space is fairly small or whether it’s a fast-charging point that will be placed into the ground. Whatever size space you have, you can be assured that you will find a charger to suit your workplace.
6: It enhances your offering as a business
Installing an electric vehicle charging solution at your workplace not only provides benefits for your staff, but it also helps to enhance your wider business offering. For example, providing these facilities to potential customers or partners visiting your business sets you apart from others. It gives them a reason to spend more time at your workplace and will also increase your brand reputation as an environmentally conscious business. This in turn to lead to strengthened relationships with potential customers and positively impact your business.
7: Going electric is far easier than you think
ENGIE aim to make it as easy as possible for you to get a charge point installed, taking care over each step along the way. With integrated consultancy services available to help determine the right solution for your business, offering project management for the full installation of reliable infrastructure and systems, the whole process is easy and efficient.
We even go one step further to ensure our network is as easy to use as possible post-installation with the GeniePoint platform. The platform enables users to fully manage their chargers and have full control over use. It also provides detailed insights including usage reports, charger availability, ongoing maintenance advice and customer care. Find the right provider, and going electric is far easier than you think.
