Business costs of electric car charging points

Businesses across the country will be working on costs of installing electric car charging points as the push away from diesel and petrol vehicles intensifies.

The government is committed to increasing the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on our roads and with that in mind have set a target for a ban on internal combustion engine models by 2040.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the EV market is very healthy and businesses can see the advantages of charging point installation at the workplace, from simply providing facilities for staff to opening a new revenue stream.

The installed costs of a commercial EV charging point will clearly vary, depending on type and siting,  numbers, communications, cabling and fixing. Managers will need to work with trusted suppliers to identify the most suitable charging infrastructure, technologies, load management and electricity supply constraints.

Rapid EV growth

A business focus on EV charging is in response to the rapid growth of the market with more than 136,600 pure-electric cars on UK roads at the end of July and over 330,800 plug-in models including plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).

There was a 262% increase in pure-electric registrations in July compared to 2019, and PHEVs grew 322%. The most recent data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that pure electric models accounted for 4.7% of total new car registrations, whilst adding in PHEVs takes that figure up to 9%.

The rapid growth of ultra-low emissions usage has also been supported by the expansion of charging services. EV charging points have increased from a few hundred in 2011 to more than 11,600 charging locations, 18,500 charging devices and 32,200 connectors by the end of this June. The proportion of charger types has also changed dramatically during that time with an increase in high power (rapid) units being installed across the UK.

All types of businesses will be aware that the move to EVs will continue to accelerate, driven by rising fuel costs, falling purchase prices, better battery technology and Government action to meet ongoing targets toward the Net Zero goal. The National Grid forecasts that 36 million EVs will be on UK roads by 2040.

Grant aid

Companies should take advantage of state help in the form of the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS), a scheme for electric vehicles offered by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). The WCS reduces the purchase and installation cost of a new workplace charging station (single socket) by 75%.

Our customers benefit from our EV knowledge and expertise at SaveMoneyCutCarbon. For instance, we worked with Mr Fothergill’s Seeds, based in Kentford, Newmarket.

As part of its longstanding commitment to environmental protection together with the focus on reducing operating costs, it recently joined the EV market with three hybrid vehicles and three full EVs.

Our EV team worked with the company to provide a cost-effective charging solution that was easy to operate, efficient and robust with full reporting and management facilities. It also needed to be scalable as the company plans to expand its electric fleet to take advantage of advances in battery technology.

Reducing costs

Our expertise in EV grant application helped to reduce overall installation costs by nearly 30%, with a successful WCS OLEV grant of £1500 and a West Suffolk Greener Business Grant of £1000 against the total cost of just over £8400.

Early data from the comprehensive reporting facilities shows that the company would have spent 2.5 times more in diesel costs, a big saving through EV usage.

The three eoGenius 22kW / 32 Amp EV chargers with RFID compatibility were swiftly installed by SaveMoneyCutCarbon’s fully qualified and OLEV approved EV team.

The OLEV-approved eoGenius EV charger is a modular, scalable, and future-proof smart charging station when combined with an eoHub. Which enables bi-directional communication between charging stations and the eoCloud back-office for remote editing and settings management via eoCloud.

Full package

Chargers were wall-mounted with cabling to the distribution board in a secure area of the company offices. The package included Back Office Software and Monthly Data Subscriptions costs for 3 years, required for OLEV grant, as well as sundries and consumables. The project has a no-quibble 3-year full parts and labour warranty.

The EV charger is single phase with a type 2 socket and can be controlled through an RFID Card or eoApp, which means driver usage can be individually monitored. The eoHub can connect up to 30 eoGenius charging stations for remote management and authentication.

The company joins other forward-thinking businesses that want to take advantage of big reductions in fuel costs, enhanced capital allowance, lower benefit-in-kind tax, lower excise duty, and positive corporate environmental goals.

For many, there will not only be the facility for their employees to charge EVs but also an attraction for visitors – and for some there is the potential for a revenue stream from offering commercial charging facilities.