A new Europcar study reveals that more than half of private sector businesses provide workplace charging facilities, helping to counter concerns with EV infrastructure and to drive adoption.

More than half (53%) of respondents offer charging at business premises, while 50% provide a company charging card for use ‘on the go’ and 52% contribute to at-home charging

The study of 300 fleet and business travel decision-makers, carried out in February 2023, revealed that 53% of respondents offer charging at business premises, while 50% provide a company charging card for use ‘on the go’. Meanwhile, 52% contribute to at-home charging. Just 1% don’t offer any charging facilities and require employees to claim expenses in the same way as for petrol/diesel.

Further change is on the way too. Of those who don’t currently offer charging at business premises, nearly nine in 10 (88%) respondents say they expect this to “definitely” or “probably” change in the next three years. That’s in addition to government charging requirements that came into force in England as of June 2022 and require new homes and buildings such as supermarkets and workplaces to install charge points.

Europcar’s report on ‘Switching sustainability from buzzword to business benefit’ also saw 54% of respondents say they already have hybrid vehicles on fleet; 52% have at least some fully electric vehicles.

But roadblocks to switching to a more sustainable fleet remain. Nearly a third (29%) said the current fleet supply restrictions were a barrier, closely followed by a lack of understanding regarding running and maintenance costs, restricted finance to purchase/lease and limited charging infrastructure in the UK (all at 28%). Almost as many (26%) are struggling to get their drivers on board with the idea of alternative fuels.

Europcar said the research underlines the critical role UK business is playing in supporting the Government’s ambitious net zero strategy and applauded those businesses taking the initiative to install their own charging infrastructure.

Mark Newberry, commercial director and sustainability spokesperson, added: “But, of course, charging infrastructure is not the only barrier to EV adoption by businesses. The well-reported supply issues and lack of understanding about the total cost of ownership are other factors cited in our research, as well as the need to win the hearts and minds of the drivers themselves.

“Europcar clients often say that employees resist moving to EV because they believe it will impact their productivity and potentially even their earnings. This highlights a need for much more education and greater understanding around what is fit for purpose for drivers for the majority of time.”

Sustainability targets

The study also found that businesses are looking at sustainability targets directly related to mobility.

The most common, a target for 29% of respondents, is to increase use of alternative mobility solutions such as cycling and walking. This was closely followed by increasing the number of electric vehicles on fleet (28%) and an overall reduction in business travel (26%).

Fleets are also exploring ways to reduce emissions for grey fleet usage. In total, 90% of the firms surveyed that are currently running grey fleets are actively looking into ways to reduce or stop employees using their own vehicles for business travel. In the meantime, they are employing a range of strategies to manage the environmental impact of their grey fleets.

To reduce environmental impact, 43% impose limits on vehicle emissions, the same percentage offer incentives for those driving hybrid or electric vehicles and 39% have vehicle age limits in place.

“The message from our research is the private sector understands loud and clear that sustainability is not a buzzword, it is a business benefit,” concluded Newberry.

“Fleet managers and business owners are looking closely at their operational behaviours and making considered changes that help cut costs and improve efficiency as well as reduce their impact on the environment. This is positive to see because for the UK to meet its carbon commitments we all need to lean into this change and really drive the transition towards carbon-friendly mobility.”

To access the report, click here.