A YouGov survey commissioned by Monta has revealed more than 52% of surveyed electric vehicle (EV) drivers, or those considering buying an EV, do not have access to a charge point at their place of work.
Monta is an electric vehicle charging platform that is looking to revolutionise EV charge point infrastructure across the UK, Europe and the Middle East. By providing an EV charging app for car owners and a management system for charge point owners, Monta connects drivers, site owners and charge installers to supercharge electric vehicles and create an open, accessible network of charge point infrastructure.
The survey also found that 82% of these drivers expressed a desire to charge their EV at their place of work if it was available. Just 25% of respondents’ workplaces have an EV charge point installed, according to the survey. Only 10% of surveyed EV drivers reported charging their EV at their place of work.
Despite there being 530,000 battery electric vehicles in the UK, the continued disconnect between accessibility and availability of EV charge points is still putting off a large number of would-be owners.
Alok Dubey, UK Country Manager at Monta, said: “There’s a huge gap between what EV drivers want and what is currently available in the UK. Workplaces are still being slow to install charge points.”
This means that when electric vehicle drivers are commuting to their office, they’re having to charge at public EV charging stations which can be expensive, or they’re charging when they get home during peak hours.
So why are companies slow to install electric vehicle chargers at the workplace? According to the research, charging at the office has always been a difficult topic. Most businesses have historically seen EV charging as too complicated or an unnecessary cost.
There has also been the concern that it would be too difficult to separate EV charging on their electricity bill to charge EV drivers for the energy they used. As a result, some businesses have offered charging for free but this then negatively impacts employees who drive petrol or diesel cars. While there are lots of barriers to installing an EV charging point at a place of work, there are many advantages.
Dubey added: “Workplaces are a crucial charging solution to help build a stable and accessible charging infrastructure in the UK. Plus, there are huge benefits for employers who install a charge point. There are several ways to raise revenue from a charge point in a work environment.
“For example, business owners can share their charge points with the public during weekends or outside work hours. Thus earning a small profit per charge while contributing to the continued electrification of the UK’s infrastructure.”
In order to reduce costs for electric vehicle drivers, workplace charging is necessary. By charging during working hours, drivers can charge at off-peak times, in a convenient location and drive home with a full battery.
Dubey concluded: “Staff and the general public alike are showing a huge appetite for workplace chargers due to the lack of viable options elsewhere – especially those in inner cities, without access to private driveways or nearby public chargers.
“One-in-five EV drivers primarily work from home, but how many would prefer to work in the office are put off by the lack of charging at work? If employers are serious about wanting staff to return, then the place of work needs to be seen as an extension of the home office where amenities are provided to make commutes more attractive.”
Back in September, Monta had landed €30 million additional financing to accelerate the buildout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, so hopefully with their technology they will be able to help businesses rectify this situation.
