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Employers can help accelerate the UK’s switch to Electric Vehicles by providing charging facilities at their workplaces.
According to a YouGov survey, half of UK drivers (50 per cent) say they would be more likely to switch to an Electric Vehicle (EV) if they could charge at work.
The survey of more than 4,000 UK adults, conducted on behalf of global vehicle charging manufacturer CTEK, found that workplace charging was welcomed even more by drivers who used to own an EV or plug-in hybrid car – 81 per cent said they would be more likely to buy an EV.
Cecilia Routledge, Global Director, Energy & Facilities for CTEK, said: “This shows how important workplace charging is to the overall development of the UK’s charging infrastructure.
“Employers can not only help their workers and the UK’s drive towards net zero, they can also make themselves more attractive to potential recruits.
“Early adopters of EVs tended to have access to a driveway or garage where they could install home charging units. But as the market penetration of EVs grows, more people who do not have off-street parking will have EVs and need a reliable place to charge away from home.”
The survey found that only 56 per cent of EV owners are now charging at home (down from 78 per cent in 2021), with 20 per cent now charging at work.
The YouGov survey discovered that younger non-EV drivers were even more likely to switch to EVs if there was charging at work. Around 60 per cent of 18-34 year olds were more likely, ahead of 55 per cent of 35-44 year olds, 48 per cent of those aged 45-54 and just 33 per cent of the over 55s.
The survey also found the drivers in the North of England were the most likely to be encouraged to drive electric by having charging at work (56 per cent) whilst London and Scotland (both 45 per cent) were less likely.
Routledge continued: “Younger employees are a key recruitment target for many employers faced with hard to fill vacancies and skills gaps. Younger people are also a demographic less likely to be home owners and more likely to live in housing without off-street parking and access to home chargers for EVs.
“So there are multiple reasons for employers who have staff car parks to install EV charging points, plus the incentive of the UK Government’s grants of thousands of pounds for up to 75 per cent of the project costs.”
With the EV Infrastructure Grant Scheme (IGS), UK registered businesses with less than 250 employees can claim grants of up to £15,000 and can claim five grants in total for five separate sites.
At each site, there must be a minimum of five clearly marked staff-only parking spaces with charging infrastructure installed, and at least one of those spaces must have an active charge point.
There is also the Government’s Workplace Charging Scheme which offers grants of up to £350 per socket for up to 40 sockets but does not include infrastructure costs.
With the current economic crisis resulting in higher prices and more of a squeeze on resources, FMs need to ensure that they have robust building and maintenance services in place to control costs and reduce the need for emergency repairs. When it comes to drainage and plumbing there are also the challenges of dealing with extreme weather, from droughts to flooding, the need to meet stringent regulations and to avoid causing environmental damage.
UK drainage specialist, Metro Rod, has launched a survey which explores the main areas of interest for FMs in maintaining drainage and plumbing, including how they currently assess their supply chains to ensure they’re working with partners that meet the highest possible standards and provide value for money.
The results will be published online so that you can see how you compare to others within the sector.
The survey should take just 5-10 minutes of your time, and as a thank you, you will be entered into a prize draw, where one lucky winner will be picked at random to receive a £100 Amazon voucher.
To take part click here.
