7 April, 2023

How to Get Charge Points at Your Workplace

Electric vehicles (EVs) continue to be in high demand and therefore so are EV charge points. When installed at a place of work, as well as providing charging convenience for EV drivers they can also help decrease a company’s carbon footprint. Whether you’re an employee wanting your workplace to better their sustainable practises, are an EV driver in need of convenient EV charging solutions at work or are in charge of your company’s sustainability strategy or employee benefits offering, we’ve put together all you need to know about getting EV charge points installed at your workplace. 

The demand for workplace EV charging 

In the UK, EV charge point ownership has reached over 690,000 this year, with a further 460,000 hybrid vehicles on the road. With over 40% growth in sales within the last year, it’s no wonder demand for EV charge points is at an all-time high, especially when it comes to providing charge points in the workplace. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly important and at some point in the near future, absolutely essential, for workplaces to provide EV charging to their employees and customers. This is due to the UK government banning the sale and production of new gasoline vehicles by 2030. 

Having EV charging stations available at workplaces enables EV-driving employees the ability to save time and money, as well as provides companies with a strong message of sustainability and the ability to reduce their carbon emissions.

The opportunity surrounding workplace charging

There are vast opportunities for a company when it comes to providing EV charge points at a workplace. Not only can it have employees benefitting factors, such as improved employee satisfaction, as well as better a brand’s environmental commitment, but it also provides a channel of recurring revenue if the company chooses to monetise the charge points. 

Benefits of workplace EV charging

There are various benefits to installing EV charge points in your workplace. 

• Reduce a businesses associated carbon emissions
• Improve employee satisfaction & well-being
• Improve employee benefits programme
• Reinforce sustainable practises
• Be a sustainable leader in your sector 
• Opportunity for recurring revenue scheme
• Track costs & energy usage
• Support your shift to an electric fleet

How easy is it to install EV charge points at a workplace? 

The complexity of installing EV charge points at a workplace varies from site to site. However, it should be a relatively straightforward installation for the majority of workplaces. Factors that could cause an installation to take slightly longer than usual are if the relevant EV charging infrastructure isn’t already in place or if there is a hold-up gaining permission from the relevant bodies in terms of getting the charge points approved, whether that we on a grant scheme or with the building owner. 

It’s therefore recommended that you contact a reputable EV charge point installer, like eFaraday, who can carry out a comprehensive site survey and provide you with an accurate outline of the work needed and the timeframe.

How do you install EV charge points at work? 

It is not recommended that you install the EV charge points at your workplace yourself. Instead, get in touch with an EV charge point installer who will help you design an EV charge point system that is tailored to the needs of your business and is in line with your budget. They will also support you with applying for any grant schemes. 

How to get charge points at your workplace?

It can be hard to know where to start when it comes to getting charge points at your workplace. If it’s something you are interested in, whether you are an EV-driving employee, workplace building owner or in charge of your company’s sustainability strategy, here are some steps you can take:

1. Determine demand

The first thing you can do is determine the expected demand for your charge points. This will help you decide how many you should install and whether you should prepare to install more at a later date as demand increases. You could do this by sending out a survey to your employees regarding current and prospective EV ownership or researching the number of EVs in the area. 

2. Choose a location

Once you know there is a demand for workplace charge points, you will need to decide where to have them installed. Your EV installer will be able to advise you on a suitable location, but factors you should consider include:

• Accessibility
• Proximity to parking bays 
• Your power supply

3. Develop an EV charging strategy 

Developing an EV strategy is a worthwhile task and although can take time, will make sure that your EV charge points work in the best interests of your company, building and employees. An EV charging strategy will cover everything from how or if the charge points will be monetised, down to any guidelines on how they should be used by employees. 

4. Research charge point types & manufacturers

Although a charge point installer will recommend the charge point they recommend for your site, it’s also worthwhile doing your research and seeing which charge points are on the market and look to suit your needs. You may want certain smart charging features or solar power integration, or simply a certain aesthetic. Once you have an idea of the EV charge points available, you can move on to step five and go to a charge point installer armed with your research. 

5. Choose a charge point installer

When choosing a charge point installer, make sure that you check out their credentials and accreditations to ensure they have the expertise to carry out your installation. Making sure they have relevant case studies and testimonials from customers are also good indicators that they are a reliable and reputable company. 

Other things to look out for are the cost of the charge points and the installation, the amount of customer service support provided, the types of chargers available, as well as any ongoing maintenance and servicing services.

6. Get approval from management 

Your next step is to get approval from the relevant management in your workplace for the approval of EV charge point installation. This could be someone internally within your company or the building owner. You will likely need to present a proposal that outlines the benefits of workplace charging and how it will impact the company, as well as the upfront and ongoing costs associated with installation and maintenance. You can also include the EV charging strategy or it may be that your company decides to create one after you’ve gained approval.

7. Apply for the WCS grant 

Once your EV charge points have been approved, it is time to look at which government grants you may be eligible for. The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is likely to be most applicable to a company applying for workplace charge points and can save businesses up to 75% of the upfront costs of workplace EV chargers, up to a total of £14,000 across 40 sockets. 

8. Install charge points

Once all contracts have been confirmed, your installer will install your workplace charge points. A qualified engineer should carry out the installation to ensure it is installed safely and to the latest standards. They should then take the time to train you on how to use the system. 

9. Promote your charge points 

Once installed, you can now promote your new charge points to your employees. From sending out a company email highlighting the new addition to including it on recruitment material and within your employee handbook, you can include all the information associated with your new charge points in your workplace. 

Workplace EV charging with eFaraday 

At eFaraday, we make the process of installing charge points in your workplace easy. We’ll work closely with you to understand what you want to get out of your charge points and how you envisage them to be used. We’ll then carry out a site survey and create a bespoke system design for your business. 

Get in touch today for your free, no-obligation quotation. Start your EV charging journey by calling us on 0330 002 11154, or you can email us by filling out our online form here.