As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to gain popularity, workplace charging stations have become increasingly important as an employee perk. Workplace EV charging demonstrates a company's commitment to sustainability, attracts eco-conscious employees, and provides EV-owning employees the convenience of workplace charging. However, not all organisations may require charging stations. To assess demand for EV charging at your workplace, you need to consider a range of factors. In this blog, we've prepared a comprehensive guide on evaluating demand for workplace EV charging to ensure you make informed decisions.
The Rise of EVs
The transition to electric mobility is undeniable, with EV sales growing year by year (at a CAGR of 44% between 2020-2027 in India and expected to hit 6.34 million-unit annual sales by 2027) and governments and private players investing in EV infrastructure development. As a result, workplaces are increasingly adopting EV charging stations to accommodate their employees' charging needs. In fact, The Model Building Bye-Laws of India Amendment 2019 states that 20% of the parking facilities in buildings should be EV-ready.
The Role of Workplace EV Charging in Supporting the Adoption
Workplace EV charging stations serve as an important factor in supporting the Emobility adoption, showcasing a company's commitment to sustainability. Additionally, workplace charging stations are the second most popular EV charging point after home charging. Nonetheless, installing EV charging stations is a considerable investment, so the evaluation of your organisation's demand for these stations is critical before proceeding.
Steps to Assessing Demand for EV Charging Stations at your Workplace
Analysing Employee Commuting Habits and EV Ownership
Before installing EV charging stations at your workplace, it's important to evaluate your employees' commuting habits and EV ownership status. Start by determining the frequency with which employees come in-person or work remotely. Installing EV charging stations may not be useful if your employees are primarily working remotely, making it vital to evaluate the number of employees driving to work. This can be determined by observing the size of the workplace parking lot and how often it is used. Alternatively, consider requiring employees to register for a parking permit to obtain a clearer picture of those who use their vehicles to travel.
Gathering Input from Employees and Stakeholders
It's essential to consider your organisation's long-term needs and employees to future-proof your organisation. This is particularly true with EV adoption's ongoing evolution, where many employees may be considering purchasing an EV. If employees cannot install EV chargers in their homes, workplace ev charging may be a compelling factor in switching to electric mobility.
It's worth including additional questions in surveys when conducting employee demand surveys. Highlighting EV trends, environmental impacts of EVs, and EV charging basics, including how long it takes and how often employees need to charge, can offer valuable insights into their sentiment towards EV charging.
Commute Distance
A crucial factor in determining feasible EV adoption for employees is their commute distance. Employees with long commutes may be less likely to buy an electric car if they can't get to work and back without topping up. Similarly, if your company's workforce has long commutes, installing more charging stations may be necessary to meet demand.
Work Pattern
In addition to considering commute distance, it's important to evaluate how long employees typically spend in the office and how they work. If employees have unpredictable work schedules, the time frame available to charge electric cars is less, making it necessary to install Direct Current (DC) fast chargers to enable employees to recharge their cars quickly.
Employee Willingness to Have Chargers
The simplest way of getting an idea about employee sentiment on EV charging is to ask for their opinion. Demands on chargers from employees provide insights into employee attitudes towards sustainability, corporate responsibility, and demand for EV charging at different price levels. If you are looking to monetise EV Charging at your workplace, ensure that the EV charging solution that you opt for comes with Charging Management and Software and Mobile App that comes loaded with these features.
Employee Willingness to Pay for Workplace EV Charging
EV charging comes at a cost that employees will have to pay if charging at home or on-the-go; asking employees how much they are willing to pay can establish their price sensitivity. Willingness to pay for EV charging can help understand how much demand exists for EV charging at different price levels, which can inform the decision of whether an EV investment will be worth it.
Opportunities with EV Charging in the Workplace
Electrical mobility creates an excellent opportunity for organisations to support their sustainability goals and reduce their carbon footprint, but before installing EV chargers at your workplace, ensure you determine your employees' demand for these stations. If offering EV charging, the charging stations can be a revenue-generating tool for businesses, particularly when hosting visitors, clients, guests, and members of the public.
In conclusion, investing in EV charging facilities at workplaces can be an impactful way to showcase your organisation's commitment to sustainability and support employee demand. However, before installing EV charging stations, it's crucial to evaluate employee demand extensively to ensure optimal investment in EV charging facilities. Understanding employee habits, adoption trends, attitudes, and needs is necessary to future-proof your organisation and ensure it remains a valuable employee perk in the EV age.
We had recently hosted a webinar on the same topic- If there are questions that went unanswered in this blog, you may want to check out the on-demand recording.