With the UK looking to achieve Net Zero by 2050, and with the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, the move to Electric Vehicles (EV) is becoming inevitable. We will be looking at how the risk in EV has been greatly reduced and why businesses should be considering making the switch.
Reduction in Costs
In the early years of EV and their development, one big focal point was their cost. However, with government backing and rising interest in the market, the risk of investment for manufacturers has disappeared, and this has led to more and more vehicles being developed at different price points.
In addition to this, generally EV are cheaper to run, saving the business money in the long term. Charging an electric vehicle is cheaper than fuelling a car with petrol or diesel, due to you not having to pay fuel duty, which is around 58p per litre. As well, EV are cheaper to maintain and service as they use around 30% less mechanical parts meaning there is less to go wrong.
There are many tax incentives available for EV to help further bring their cost down. Benefit in Kind tax is only 1-2% and they are exempt from road tax, congestion charges and Clean Air Zones.
Improved Technology
With more manufacturers entering the market and the latest models available, electric vehicles now comfortably have an average range of around 200 miles. This provides great comfort for drivers knowing they won’t have to worry about charging every day.
Range isn’t the only advancement within EV technology, with charging times having also improved. You can now find 22kW fast chargers that charge to 80% in around 4 hours, and 50kW rapid chargers that charge to 80% in around 30 minutes. These will generally be used as top up chargers on top of home charging.
Enhance Your Business
For many businesses sustainability is a more important objective each year, and even if it’s not, environmental concerns are becoming increasingly at the forefront of customers minds. Electric vehicles can help improve your businesses image, showing that you are consciously making efforts to be more environmentally friendly.
Having EV chargers can make your business more attractive to customers and staff and help put you on the map, making your business stand out. There are many apps like Google Maps and Zap-Map that show locations of EV charge points, helping drive potential customers to your door.
If used correctly, EV chargers can become a new revenue stream. This can help offset costs and boost profitability. Plans and what is right for your business can vary for many types of businesses, for example:
- A hotel would have guests slow charging for 8 hours overnight.
- A golf club would have guests fast charging for 4 hours as they play 18 holes.
- A petrol station would have customers rapid charging for 30 minutes.
Government Backing
Along with the government banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, they have further committed to supporting the Electrical Vehicle industry. They have set up the Rapid Charge Fund, which is a £950 million fund to help boost the infrastructure of chargers on the UK’s motorways.
From 2022, all new build homes will require an EV charging point. As well as all residential buildings undergoing major renovations with more than 10 parking spaces must install a charging point. For current EV owners there are grants available for up to £350 to get a charging point installed at home.
In Summary
With government backing and increasing interest in electrical vehicles, they are becoming much more accessible. You can now find a large range of brands at many different price points. A public body that advises the UK government on the carbon budget Estimates around 16 million cars will be electric by 2030.
At Sastech we offer full turnkey projects for electrical vehicle chargers, from surveying and civil work to installation and maintenance. One of our Project Managers will work with you to make sure you get the right system that suits the needs of the business and make sure the project is future proof.
