Limited Access To On-Street Chargers Hindering Business EV Van Switch
Limited Access To On-Street Chargers Hindering Business EV Van Switch
A reliance on having to use private on-street EV charging facilities have been identified as the primary factor deterring van owners and businesses from making the switch to electric vehicles.
Though many businesses express a strong interest in swapping out ageing diesel-powered vans for zero-emission electric vans, concerns over installing the necessary infrastructure to accommodate them remains a significant hurdle.
The claims come in the wake of new research commissioned by Vauxhall, which sought to explore attitudes across the UK among van owners and fleet businesses towards the burgeoning ‘electric revolution’.
In its Electric Van Adoption Report, Vauxhall reveals there is a widespread awareness of switching to electric with 84% businesses surveyed claiming to have at least one electric van among its fleet. Moreover, the research suggests this will rise to 97% within the next two years.
Tellingly, however, only 8% of business have gone ahead and transitioned fully to electric among its fleets, while 73% of businesses running at least one electric van say they have considered swapping to petrol, diesel or hybrid models in future.
On-Street Charging Issues For Van Drivers Flagged
While an influx of new BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) options in the commercial sector has gone a long way to dispelling long-held myths regarding range, cost and practicality in recent years, concerns remain over the infrastructural challenges that come with running an electric vehicle.
Indeed, though the UK government has been pro-active in growing the number of publicly available charging points around the country, 23% of fleet operators say a lack of on-street residential charging facilities around their drivers’ homes is the biggest barrier to initiating an all-electric fleet.
Businesses with electric vans in their fleet say 21% of these are most commonly charged at home, while a full 81% say it would be problematic to install EV charging provision at their operating bases.
A full 40% of UK households do not have a driveway, leading to a reliance on the installation of an on-street charging source, a provision that 91% of fleet operators say is essential for them to make a switch to electric vehicles.
Moreover, without the option of having a single private parking space on the street, the likelihood of having to park in different spots on a street at any one time leads to further complications with regards to installation of a charging station.
Stellantis UK group managing director Eurig Druce, said: “The findings of the Vauxhall Electric Van Adoption Report highlight the growing reliance of UK businesses on residential EV charging infrastructure to make the electric transition.
“Charging at home or work is incredibly convenient, and the charging network on Britain’s major roads is improving at a very rapid pace, however, to ensure fleet operators are comfortable moving to electric, councils need to work with charge point operators to install charge points on residential roads that need it most.
“Through our ongoing Electric Streets of Britain campaign, we continue to invite residents, businesses and fleet operators to register their on-street charging needs. This information is then passed to local authorities for them to make more informed decisions on where to install new chargers.
“Last year, research we conducted with CENEX demonstrated that only 19% of all households who need it are close to a public charge point. It is only when this figure increases that businesses and fleet operators will feel confident in their transition towards electrification.”
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