The electric vehicle (EV) market is continuing to boom in the UK despite the cost of living crisis, supply chain difficulties and the end of government grants, with nearly 250,000 new plug-in cars joining the road so far in 2022 alone, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
However, the latest research suggests that an ongoing ‘postcode lottery’ in chargepoints is slowing down small business’ ability to join the EV revolution.
Although the number of publicly available chargepoints grew by 31 per cent in the year to July 2022, Zurich UK mapped the number of chargers across the UK against the small business population and found, on average, there is still just one public charger currently available for every 56 small businesses.
SMEs in Greater Manchester have access to the fewest EV chargepoints in the country, with 237 businesses competing for each available socket. This is followed by Essex (203 SMEs per charger) and Surrey (169 per charger), compared to just 23 small businesses per chargepoint in Greater London.
Will Edwards, Zurich’s head of SME, said: “SMEs have a huge and vital role to play in helping the UK reach the Government’s net zero carbon emissions target by 2050. With lower running costs and exemption from many charges that apply to combustion-engine vehicles, switching to an electric fleet should be an easy decision for SMEs.
“However, the shortage of chargepoints in many UK regions and counties could prevent SMEs from making the leap. Furthermore, regional disparities in access to charging infrastructure may hinder the ability of small firms to do business, or their desire to invest, in some parts of the UK. We need to see a levelling up of public charging infrastructure, so all businesses, irrespective of where they are located, can benefit from the EV revolution and also meet sustainability targets.”
Zurich is advising businesses and local authorities to investigate their eligibility for grants through current government schemes which aim to boost charging infrastructure across the UK. This includes the Workplace Charging Scheme which provides businesses, charities and public sector organisations with support towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of chargers. Local Authorities are also able to apply for grants through the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme to install residential chargepoints.
Recently, more than 1,000 new chargepoints were announced as part of a nationwide pilot testing innovative on-street charging solutions, which are seen as essential to the EV revolution.