What Businesses Install Workplace EV Charging and Why?

While many organisations have installed some EV charging already, others are just starting to think about it. We asked Rosario Surace, associate consultant at Mer, for his insights into what drives businesses to make that first move.

In this blog: Key Drivers | Choosing a Charger | Choosing a Provider | Talk to Us

As we transition away from fossil fuels, almost every organisation that operates vehicles will eventually need EV charging infrastructure.

“The list is endless already in terms of the different types of businesses our clients represent,” says Rosario Surace, associate consultant for Mer Fleet and Workplace Charging. “We have installed charging points at schools and hospitals as well as almost every conceivable type of business from delivery companies to manufacturers.”

The list is endless already in terms of the different types of businesses our clients represent

Key Drivers

There are three main drivers behind the demand for charging points:

Desire to improve air quality – this might be part of a corporate drive to reduce emissions or in response to a Clean Air Zone

Net zero goals – increasingly, businesses are setting net zero targets, which requires switching company vehicles to EVs

Employee demand – EV drivers want workplace charging – especially if they don’t have space for a charging point at home.

Choosing a Charger

There are different types of chargers, suited for different use cases:

3.5kW and 7kW fast chargers are ideal for recharging vehicles that are parked up for hours at a time
11kW and 22kW fast chargers are designed for the same purpose but for vehicles with bigger batteries
Rapid chargers are for very quick turnarounds, capable of fully recharging a battery in half an hour, and are more suited to some fleet applications

“In most organisations, employee vehicles are parked up for long periods of time,” says Rosario. “In that use case, you can go for standard 7kW fast chargers rather than 22kW. This helps keep your power usage at a lower level and also means you can install more charging bays.

“However, company vehicle drivers might be travelling to HQ for a meeting and then heading off to another destination, so their use case is different. They need a faster recharge so that the vehicle is ready to go after their meeting has finished. They need at least enough juice to reach the next rapid charger on the motorway, but ideally sufficient range to go straight to their next meeting.

“Many people think they need rapid chargers and a business with fewer scruples than ours would take the opportunity to sell them rapid chargers. However, our approach is to find out exactly how they use their vehicles and then recommend the best chargers for each application, rather than the most expensive one.

“If the vehicles are parked up for eight hours at a time, you can comfortably recharge them using fast chargers, which are much more affordable. Fast chargers also draw down significantly less power, which is important as some sites simply do not have the spare grid capacity to support rapid chargers.”

At Mer, we support clients from the first enquiry right the way through the process

Choosing a Provider

Look for a charge point provider with a strong track record in workplace charging. Also, make sure you select a workplace charging specialist who can offer comprehensive support. “At Mer, we support clients from the first enquiry right the way through the process,” says Rosario.

“We carry out site visits to understand where and how they want to deploy workplace charging points, as well as ensuring that the site has sufficient spare power to support EV charging infrastructure. This is a key consideration, so we work with each client to get a clear picture of their maximum power demand over the past six months. From this we can calculate what grid capacity is available.

“We can help them find solutions to power constraints such as smart chargers with load balancing capabilities – there is almost always a way to make it work.”

Mer can also help with accessing grants such as the Workplace Charging Scheme, and provide its Mer Connect platform to help you manage and optimise your charge points.

Talk to Us

Whether you are a workplace looking to install your first charging points, or are thinking about introducing tariffs for your existing infrastructure, talk to our friendly experts. If you are a fleet that is planning significant new investments in EVs and charging to support them, we are also ideally placed to help.

Call us at 03300 562 562 or email us at [email protected].