Charging at Work
For employees, charging at work can be a convenient way to recharge an EV whilst parked during the day. From a business point of view, having a charge point at the workplace will become increasingly important as a facility for employees and visitors, while for businesses with an EV fleet it can be an essential operating factor. To discuss your requirements feel free to contact us via info@arnoldengineering.co.uk or 01432 367685
Similar to the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, the Government offers businesses, organisations, charities, and local authorities financial support to have charge points installed at their premises under the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS).
The grant provides up to £350 per socket at 75% of the total cost of installation – up to a maximum of 20 sockets – to be installed on dedicated off-street parking for staff, visitor, or fleet use. To discuss your requirements feel free to contact us via info@arnoldengineering.co.uk or 01432 367685
Funded by the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), the Workplace Charging Scheme provides a grant for businesses to reduce the cost of having an EV charge point installed at their premises.
The grant allows businesses, charities, and local authorities to claim 75% of the total cost of installation, up to a maximum of £350 per socket installed, and with a maximum of 40 sockets across all sites for each applicant. Firms based in the United Kingdom (exc. Channel Islands and Isle of Man) can claim and don’t necessarily need a plug-in vehicle on the company’s books.
The charge points are required to have a need declared for them on application, which could include: existing EV fleet vehicles, to add an incentive for the uptake of plug-in vehicles with staff, to provide a charging solution for visitors, or to charge EVs planned to be purchased by the business. Charging for customers (where applicable) is not eligible for WCS funding.
Standard three-pin sockets are not eligible for funding, and the EV charge points can only be fitted by accredited OLEV installers. These must provide a minimum of 3 kW, with the supply not diminished by charging multiple vehicles simultaneously. Companies cannot claim for existing EV charging points, as the grant is available only for new charge points yet to be installed. The company also has to have dedicated off-street parking for staff, visitors or fleet use.
Customer and visitor electric cars will have different charging connectivity needs, so it is important to install a charging point most likely to be compatible with the widest range of vehicles possible. The most common workplace installation is a wall-mounted Type 2 7kW charger, which is compatible with most of the best-selling electric vehicles and can charge a vehicle fully in around 3-7 hours, depending on model. Some businesses may wish to install a faster 22kW unit or even a rapid charger if cost and space allow. See charging basics page for more info on different charging points.
Most workplace installations select wall-mounted units as they are typically cheaper to install. The alternative is a post, which are good options but usually have higher installation costs due to the need to get the electricity to the post under the ground.
For businesses that plan to install charge points in areas that are publicly accessible, it is essential to consider access requirements. Most charge point manufacturers offer units that can be accessed with either a key or RFID card to prevent unwanted usage.
The majority of manufacturers offer some form of back-office support to report on energy use, charge point use and CO2 impact. The level of assistance varies and can usually be tailored as a package for the company buying the service, from basic maintenance to full network support.
The two key costs of workplace EV charge points are the price of the unit and the installation fees. Based on a standard project, a fully installed Type 2 7kW double-header unit would typically cost around £1,500, after the WCS Grant has been applied.
Likewise, a 22kW double-headed post unit costs £2,500 – £5,000 (inc WCS Grant), while a fully installed rapid charge unit can cost up to £35,000. Once a suitable unit has been selected, the installer will be able to give a quote for the unit and installation costs. As with other business infrastructure projects, it is recommended that businesses obtain a few quotes.
Scotland
Workplace charge point funding is available to Scottish organisations through the Energy Saving Trust, though because of the high demand, the level of support on offer to organisations cannot be guaranteed.
Applications are assessed on criteria including whether there is currently an EV fleet to support, if public access to the point(s) would be possible, and how many users the point is likely to have. This is then given a priority rating of High (100%), Medium (75%) or Low (50%), with funding allocated accordingly. Contact us info@arnoldengineering.co.uk or 01432 367685 for more information.
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