Discover the benefits
There are hundreds of thousands of plug-in vehicles currently registered within the UK, and these numbers are set to continue growing rapidly due to further measures being introduced.
There are many reasons why now is the time to invest in electric vehicles for your business.
Economic Benefits
It has been demonstrated on several occasions that switching from petrol or diesel vehicles to electric vehicles will save you a considerable amount of money, with large firms implementing electric vehicles as part of their fleet. Choosing an electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme can also cut costs. Employees could save up to 40% on a new EV and employers could see National Insurance savings of 13.8%.
Electric vehicles will save your drivers from having to pay extra emissions charges. There are also huge tax benefits, as zero-emission vehicles incur lower tax charges. The Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate is still low for 2025 at just 3% and only rising to 4% for 2026/27.
With reducing battery production costs and growing competition between manufacturers, the price of electric vehicles is falling, making them a more attractive proposition for car buyers and businesses alike. Despite some EVs still carrying a higher upfront cost, the total cost of ownership is much lower. Charging is significantly cheaper than refuelling and maintenance costs will be reduced due to EVs having fewer moving parts than Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles.
Environmental Benefits
We all know that EVs are zero emission vehicles, resulting in up to 60% lower CO2 emissions over their lifecycle. There are many examples of the environmental benefits reaped by businesses who have swapped out ICE vehicles for EVs. This switch can reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions which is only a positive when reporting on ESG (environmental, social and governance) goals for your business.
The gases released by traditionally powered vehicles have also been found to be damaging to health and contribute to the formation of smog. Londoners were found to be the most affected by air pollution and its negative health implications, leading to the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to cover all London boroughs in August 2023.
Performance Benefits
Some drivers may be sceptical of the performance of electric vehicles compared to their traditional petrol or diesel counterparts, but there is plenty of appeal in EV performance. Unlike in ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles, power is delivered instantly to the wheels, resulting in sharp throttle response and instantaneous torque for an engaging driving experience.
Electric vehicles are also far quieter than ICEs, making almost no noise on the roads, meaning they are unbeatable in terms of refinement. You also get the ingenious technological benefit of regenerative braking, which recaptures the car’s kinetic energy when you brake and stores it to recharge the battery.
All this sounds great but you’re probably wondering how far an EV will get you before you have to charge it up again. EV ranges have come a long way in recent years with some capable of travelling between 300 and nearly 500 miles on a single charge. For example, the new Audi A6 e-tron can reach up to 463 miles whilst the new Vauxhall Grandland can reach 425 miles on a single charge.
Easy Charging
UK public charging is now more common than ever with over 75,000 public points so why not make life easier for your customers and employees by installing charging facilities at your premises.
A significant amount of electric vehicle recharging sessions take place at the workplace so, why not take advantage of the support available for the design, installation and maintenance of your charging points. Dependent on certain criteria, the government's Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) offers £350 per charging socket installed.
Furthermore, installing charging points is a worthwhile investment for your business. It will supply convenient on-site charging for your electric fleet vehicles, whilst also providing an extra incentive for employees to sign up for EV salary sacrifice knowing they always have somewhere to charge their vehicle and increasing employee retention.
Employees will also be pleased to hear that they can claim back from charging their company car at home, just as they would claim on fuel costs, as long as the miles logged are for business use.
Decarbonisation of Fleet
To boost the number of EVs on our roads, the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate requires manufacturers to increase the percentage of EVs and ZEVs being sold before the sale of ICE vehicles comes to an end in 2035.
As a business, incorporating more EVs into your fleet can contribute to this goal whilst also enhancing your CSR and ESG reporting- both of which are becoming increasingly important in a sustainability-oriented world.
Science-based targets are also becoming increasingly important for large corporations as consumers become more sustainability conscious and the discussions surrounding ethical consumption continue to grow. Decarbonisation can ultimately improve your brand reputation and demonstrate innovation within our fast-changing world.
