Commercial Landowners: Why Install Commercial EV Charging Stations?

Whilst still in its infancy, the electric revolution is swiftly becoming a part of the UK’s aim to reduce our impact on the environment and encourage more sustainable practises amongst our communities.

To meet increasing consumer demand for commercial EV charging, landowners and land developers are in a unique position to bring reliable and accessible EV charging infrastructure to their sites for public use.

Why install EV charge points now?

The EV market – exponential growth

The electric vehicle (EV) market grew significantly in 2022. As of the end of the year, there were over 1,110,000 plug-in cars registered in the UK. More than 365,000 plug-in hybrid and battery-electric cars were registered in the UK last year, marking a 20% increase on 2021.

The popularity for EVs has continued into 2023, as is shown through the 17,294 new registrations of battery-electric cars in January this year.

Future-proof your site before your competitors:

EVs are an inevitable part of our future, and so is the infrastructure that charges them. As a first mover on this clear upward trend, landowners can capitalise on increasing demand for grid connection and the finite number of opportunities in strategic locations ahead of competitors. As more and more drivers switch the EVs in the coming years ahead of the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, your EV charge points will only become more popular.

So, what can commercial landowners gain by installing EV charge points?

The Benefits of Commercial EV Charging For Landowners

Drivers who are travelling long distances or are without a home charger are dependent on the public charging network that is currently being built out across the UK. We carried out a customer satisfaction survey of our drivers in 2022, which revealed 63% of surveyed drivers used a public charging station over 10 times in 2022.

Beyond adapting to the EV transition, installing commercial EV charging stations brings countless benefits for commercial landowners.

Customer attraction and loyalty:

Customers today expect easy and convenient service experiences in all areas of their life, and EV charging is no different.

If an EV driver can shop and charge at the same time, whether they are exploring the shops, using the gym, in the supermarket, or grabbing a coffee or a bite to eat, they are more likely to visit your site before those of your competitors, therefore increasing customer footfall. Crucially, drivers will be more encouraged to return in the future. This is especially the case if drivers can access rapid or ultra-rapid charging and gain top up their battery faster than their home charger allows. What is more, you will also attract new customers with EV charging. This includes electric taxis and business vans who travel during the day and are looking for facilities on-route. Importantly, installing charge points now means you have the chance to establish buyer habits before your competitors introduce EV charging.

Support the electric transition for customers and staff

One of the main barriers to EV uptake is the lack of confidence in the current public EV charging system, particularly if drivers lack off-street parking and thus have no way of charging at their home. By installing charge points at your site, you are incentivising sceptical drivers to reconsider their decision to stay with their petrol of diesel vehicle.

And, you can encourage your staff to make the switch, whilst also supporting those who currently drive EVs.

Increased dwell time

Building on the above, customers will spend longer at your destination if they are able to take advantage of EV charging during the time they are there. As they spend more time at your site, they are likely to spend more money too. Installing EV charging thus has a subsequent positive impact on the amenities are your site, not only bringing more people in but encouraging them to stay longer.

Improve your sustainable footprint & attract employees and customers as a result

More and more people are looking to make sustainable-friendly choices. A survey by Shopify of over 24,000 shoppers and 9,000 small to medium size businesses from 12 countries revealed 54% of consumers state they now shop sustainably, whilst 43% say they are more likely buy from a sustainable brand.

EV charging can help your site adapt to become climate conscious. Not only will EV charging help you improve your carbon footprint by attracting EV drivers, you will be able to confidently promote your sustainability credentials, making it more likely that you will attract more business and new employees as a result.

In addition, powering your commercial EV charge points with renewable energy will elevate your sustainability credentials more so. At Mer, we can supply zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity for our charge points, sourced solely from solar, wind and hydro.

Gain an additional revenue stream

Finally, a major positive when it comes to installing EV charging as a commercial landowner is the financial benefits it offers. In addition to the opportunities for higher consumer spending at your site as a result of increased dwell time, you may be able to gain an income through the charge points themselves depending on the financial model you choose for your infrastructure development. Read more about the financial models Mer offers for commercial landowners.

Looking ahead – Expanding on Commercial EV Charging

Establish user pattern insights and scale the infrastructure

Working with commercial landowners, we have watched as demand for EV charging has increased over time. At Stane Retail Park, for example, our ability to understand utilisation rates at commercial EV charge points allowed us to deduce that rapid and ultra-rapid charging is the most popular choice. We carried this insight into Phase 2 of the project at the park, whereby we brought additional rapid chargers to the site. This was made possible by the fact the pre-planning and pre-design, in liaison with owners The Churchmanor Estates Company Plc., made the rollout of additional phases much easier.

As charger use begins to grow, landowners can establish a picture of customer habits from usage data. These insights will help inform the future build out of your charging infrastructure, ensuring you can increase your charge point offering in line with demand and in a way that suits the needs of your customer.