EV workplace charging will be incredibly convenient for employees who own electric vehicles. More workplaces are starting to see the benefits of installing charging infrastructure on their premises. As more drivers switch from petrol and diesel to pure electric and hybrid vehicles, it is important that businesses and their fleets help pave the way forward, making charging more accessible for their staff.
Do you own an EV? Or maybe you’re looking to switch your fuelled vehicle for an electric car, but your workplace doesn’t have any infrastructure installed? Then please read on.
Here at EV Wired we will explain everything that you need to know about EV workplace charging, as well as how to get a charger installed, and the incentives that could help convince your boss that it’s worth the effort.
What incentives are available for installing an EV charger at my workplace?
The UK government introduced a grant called the Workplace Charging Scheme – also referred to as WCS, which is ‘a voucher-based scheme,’ introduced to help businesses with the costs of providing charging infrastructure for their staff.
This incentive is currently available to businesses in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and is managed by OZEV and the DVLA.
What is the Workplace Charging Scheme?
The Workplace Charging Scheme is a UK government grant, created to help businesses with EV workplace charging via the installation of infrastructure on their premises. The WCS grant was created to help more drivers transition from fuelled to pure electric vehicles, creating a greener and more sustainable future.
The WCS grant offers businesses up to 75% of the installation costs, with £350 provided per charging socket. This is limited to a maximum of 40 sockets per business. If a business owns 40 different sites, then the grant would apply to 1 socket being installed per business site.
Is my workplace eligible for the Workplace Charging Scheme grant?
- Be a registered business, charity, or public organisation.
- Located in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
- Permission to install charging infrastructure on site (such as consent from the landlord on rented premises).
- Have off-street parking facilities for staff and fleet (such as a company car park).
- Ensure EV’s can be charged safely in an accessible area with space for each charging socket.
- Must have an electric power supply of at least 3kW.
- One charging socket per parking space.
How does my workplace apply to have an EV charger installed?
In order to have an electric car charger installed, your workplace must complete and return the application form provided on the government website. After which all successful applicants will receive a voucher code by email, which is valid for six months from the date issued. This voucher can then be given to an authorised installer, and the cost will be deducted from the final invoice. You can find all of the OZEV authorised installers listed here.
Can I apply for the Workplace Charging Scheme if I work from home?
Yes, you can still apply for the government’s WCS grant if you work from home, as long as your business is registered to your home address with HMRC, or Companies House. The same application process and rules apply.
Alternatively, you might want to consider applying for the government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme – an alternative grant providing discounted charging infrastructure for EV drivers at their home.
You might be interested in reading our article ‘how to charge an electric car at home.’
Will my workplace charging point be maintained?
It is the responsibility of the business to ensure that the charging point is maintained. All businesses that apply for the WCS grant for EV workplace charging, are legally required to ensure that regular services and maintenance is carried out on the charge point for a minimum of 3 years.
The OZEV authorised installer will manage the EV charging points installed at your workplace, and three years manufacturers warranty should also be taken out by the business. This helps cover the costs of parts and work carried out on the charging infrastructure by the installer, as and when required.
What is the most common charging point to have installed?
The most common charging point to be installed at a business is a Type 2 7kW charger, as this charging point fits a lot of the most popular electric vehicles, and is likely to charge your car within the space of a regular eight-hour shift.
Some businesses may decide to install a faster 22kW charging point, or even a rapid charger, but these are much more expensive. Looking for a Type 2 EV charging cable?
What is the cost of a workplace EV charging point?
It all depends on the power outage, for instance a 7kW commercial charging point could typically cost on average between £1000 and £4000. A 22kW charging point would cost double or three times as much as a 7kW, and a rapid charger is the most expensive to install, with average costs between £20,000 to £40,000. In addition, there are installation fees that will vary depending on the company used to fit the charging points. Despite the costs, the WCS grant will be useful to any business looking to install EV charging infrastructure.
Will I have to pay to charge my electric car at work?
While some companies will offer a free EV workplace charging incentive for their staff, other companies might decide upon a paid tariff, where staff will have to pay to charge their car at work. Of course, the charging costs will depend on the tariff and energy provider used.
You can find out more about EV charging costs from one of our previous posts: how much does it cost to charge an electric car?
Although it might seem like there is a lot to consider when installing an electric car charger, the benefits of having EV workplace charging will make it worth your time. There is much to consider when installing EV charging stations, especially at a business, however the benefits of having access to EV workplace charging are numerous as time progresses and more drivers make the switch. Employees will appreciate the convenience of being able to charge their car at work, resulting in a win-win situation for both employers and employees, as well as the environment.