The Garage 361

EV
CHARGED UP:
Why the UKs
EV transition
is in full swing
By Mike Cafferky,
Operations Director
of OCU Evolution.
The first “real” electric vehicle (EV) was
introduced to roads in the US in 1888,
meaning we’ve had over 100 years of
automotive advancements to weigh up their
potential as the natural successor to fossil
fuel powered vehicles.
Despite this, it’s only recently that
demand for EVs to become the main form
of transportation has intensified. This is due
to a series of policies and commitments
introduced by the Government, which have
been designed to support the UK’s move to
net zero by 2050.
To meet this target, the UK needs a radical
reduction in the burning of fossil fuels,
phasing out some of the biggest emitters,
petrol and diesel cars, and replacing them
with cleaner, more sustainable electric
vehicles (EVs).
Businesses need to view the adoption
and integration of EVs as an essential
process and not something that is merely a
consideration.
The key benefit for transitioning is to
improve a company’s sustainability and
impact on the environment. Businesses
operating fleets of EVs have lower emissions
compared to those with petrol and
diesel vehicles. Even counting electricity
generation, the carbon emissions of an
electric car are around 17-30% lower than
driving a car with an internal combustion
engine .
Grants and financial incentives are
available for small-medium sized businesses
looking to switch to an EV fleet. The
Government’s Electric vehicle infrastructure
(EVI) grant for staff and fleets provides SMEs
with money off the cost of installing EV
chargepoints and supporting infrastructure
for their staff and fleet vehicles.
EVs offer other benefits too, such
as lower Benefit-in-Kind tax rates, 0%
road tax until 2025 and exemptions
from London Congestion Charges. VAT
registered companies can also claim back
50% of the VAT on vehicle payments or
maintenance costs.
With new vehicles powered by
combustion engines set to be banned by
2035 in the UK, businesses can benefit by
investing and evolving their fleets now.
Is range anxiety still a prominent issue
with EVs?
Almost all (99%) of car journeys in
England are under 100 miles and most
could be made by an EV without needing
to recharge. This is simply because many
EVs can now travel further than before.
The average battery range for new vehicles
launched in 2023 was almost 300 miles on
a full charge, while vans such as the Ford
E-Transit can do around 236 miles when
fully charged.
Despite this, there is still a level of
anxiety among the public regarding existing
electric vehicle infrastructure (EVI) –
most notably the accessibility of charging
points for long journeys. The Society of
Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
reported in 2022 that, “as plug-in vehicle
registrations surged, public charging
infrastructure expansion has failed to keep
pace. Plug-in cars on the road had grown
a phenomenal 280.3% between 2019 and
2021, but slow/fast public chargepoints
grew by just 69.8% in the same period.”
That’s why we’re addressing these
concerns by providing a sensible, endto-end
solution. OCU Evolution provides
businesses with the complete EV
package, from installing and connecting
infrastructure through to providing
charging units for cars, lorries and
buses. We also support with the ongoing
maintenance and commissioning of substations,
solar panels and batteries.
And the timing couldn’t be better. The
SMMT reported that Britain’s millionth
battery electric car (BEV) hit the road in
January 2024, and SMMT’s latest used car
market figures for 2023 show that BEV
uptake was up 90.9%, proving to us that
there is potential for huge growth provided
supply from the new market remains
consistent.
Is the current EV charging infrastructure
prepared to cope with further EV
adoption? If not, what needs to be done to
remedy this?
EV adoption will stall without a public
network of chargers for drivers. People
need access to chargepoints at home and
at work, as well as for long-distances or
those in need of a quick top-up.
As of January 2024, 55,301 charging
points have been installed across the UK
, but the Government has said it wants to
grow that number to 300,000 charging
points by 2030. This highlights the big
task ahead, and the need to expand the
network and increase investment. Despite
this, we want to contribute towards that
momentum of getting those charges in the
ground over the next six years. For us it’s
about having the technicians and the right
equipment in the right place to service
businesses who want to build their charging
capabilities. While the UK has a long road
ahead, if we continue to collaborate and
embrace technological advancements,
we’ll be in a strong position to hit the zeroemission
vehicle target.
We know there is a huge opportunity
to create a more sustainable and efficient
transport system in the UK, but if the EVI
and charging stations are not in place, it
will be increasingly difficult to encourage
businesses and members of the public to
buy into this new norm. However, despite
the challenges, we’ll be on hand to help
businesses across the nation make a
successful transition to a greener, cleaner
future.
24 THE GARAGE
21 Feature EV.indd 4 27/03/2024 13:55