EV Myth Busting: The grid and EV charging
This image is sourced from: https://fleetworld.co.uk/tesco-ev-charging-rollout-hits-600-store-target/
At the end of April 2024, there were over 1,100,000 fully electric cars on UK roads. Almost 315,000 electric cars were registered in 2023, which is an 18% increase in the number registered in 2022. This is great news because it means more people are making a difference to the environment.
At The Electric Car Scheme, we are on a mission to make the switch to an electric car cheaper and easier than any other option. Salary sacrifice makes this possible by reducing your salary in exchange for an electric car as a benefit, saving employees between 30-60%. This makes electric cars an affordable option for everyone. For every business to offer electric car salary sacrifice, it has to be a 'no-brainer'. That’s why The Electric Car Scheme is no cost to the employer to set up and run. As an employer, you are protected if the car needs to be returned early. And importantly, you run the scheme with no hassle, it’s simple to set up and we offer straightforward reporting.
Many myths about electric cars continue to circulate. As more people adopt this new mode of transportation, some still worry or speculate about various aspects. One of the main concerns is the electricity grid's ability to handle the increase in EVs, which is a valid issue and raises important questions. Can the grid manage a surge of EVs plugged in at once? Will there be enough electricity available for charging? Do the grid's wires have sufficient capacity for EV charging?
In this post, we will be answering all concerns and questions about the grid and EV charging to (hopefully) bust some myths and settle concerns.
Why are electric cars becoming so popular in the UK?
The above images have been sourced from: 1. https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/volkswagen/id3 2. https://www.caranddriver.com/jaguar/i-pace 3. https://www.fleetandleasing.com/reviews/ora-funky-cat-car-review/ 4. https://www.captainelectro.com/cars/audi-q6l-e-tron-stretches-its-legs 5. https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mg/mg4/358500/new-mg4-2022-review 6. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-20/electric-g-wagon-test-drive-new-mercedes-benz-suv-can-tackle-stairs-boulders
There are many reasons why so many people are making the switch to electric cars, such as:
The government's dedication to reducing emissions and addressing climate change is evident in its ambitious plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
Falling cost of EVs - this is due to advancements in technology and economies of scale of manufacturers. This ultimately makes them more affordable for consumers. You can read more about it here.
Schemes like The Electric Car Scheme offer salary sacrifice for electric cars, which allows you to save between 30-60% on any electric car both new and used.
Improvements in public charging infrastructure - the UK government has been investing heavily in this area, with 61,232 public charging points now available across the country, according to ZapMap. This gives people the peace of mind and ability to charge when making long journeys.
There is now more choice of EVs, with every car manufacturer making their way into the EV space. You can choose between an electric Land Rover or a Porsche - whatever suits you!
The cost of running a petrol or diesel car - fuel prices have increased in recent years and electric cars are much cheaper to run than petrol or diesel cars. You can read what will happen to ICE cars after 2035 here.
Is there enough electricity to charge electric cars?
Yes, there is enough electricity available to charge electric cars. As more people switch to electric vehicles, demand for charging points and electricity will increase. This leads to the question of whether the UK's current energy grid can handle this additional demand. It's important to remember that the electricity grid is designed to meet peak demand, meaning there is plenty of spare capacity to accommodate EV charging. Additionally, people typically charge their cars at night, after their daily travels, which helps to balance and not strain the national grid.
In the future, millions of people might plug in their cars simultaneously, raising concerns about managing demand while ensuring timely charging. Smart charging EVs can help balance the system, allowing consumers to use green power when it’s cheaper and avoid peak demand times.
What is the Electric Vehicle Smart Charge Point Regulation?
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This regulation was introduced in 2022 and was designed to help manage the increase in electricity demand from the transition to electric vehicles by regulating EV charge points sold. The regulation “ensures charge points have smart functionality, allowing the charging of an electric vehicle when there is less demand on the grid, or when more renewable electricity is available.”
Here’s what’s covered under the regulation:
electric vehicle private charge points sold for use in a domestic or workplace environment in Great Britain
smart cables (defined as an electrical cable which is a charge point and is able to send and receive information).
Your charge point must be able to do the following:
smart functionality, including the ability to send and receive information, the ability to respond to signals to increase the rate or time at which electricity flows through the charge point, demand side response services and a user interface
electricity supplier interoperability, allowing the charge point to retain smart functionality even if the owner switches electricity supplier
continued charging even if the charge point ceases to be connected to a communications network
safety provisions, preventing the user from carrying out an operation which could risk the health or safety of a person
a measuring system, to measure or calculate the electricity imported or exported and the time the charging lasts, with visibility to the owner of this information
security requirements consistent with the existing cyber security standards
Charge points must also:
incorporate pre-set, off-peak, default charging hours and allow the owner to accept, remove or change these upon first use and subsequently
allow for a randomised delay function.
You can learn more about the regulation by visiting the government website.
What is the UK’s great grid update?
The Great Grid Upgrade is the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations. The aim is to connect more renewable energy to homes and businesses. This plays a big part in the UK government’s plan to boost homegrown power. It will help the UK switch to clean energy and make sure our electricity network is fit for the future; carrying more clean, secure energy from where it’s generated to where you need it.
The Great Grid update will allow the grid to carry more clean energies throughout England and Wales, helping us to achieve Net Zero as a country faster. It will also increase the self-sufficiency of our energy supplies in the UK and it will be able to carry more electricity to wherever we need it.
Do the UK’s electricity grid’s wires have enough capacity for charging EVs?
Yes, according to the National Grid website, the highest peak electricity demand in the UK was 62 GW (gigawatt) in 2002. Since the nation’s peak demand has fallen by 16% because of energy efficiency improvements. If we all switched to EVs now, the National Grid estimates demand would increase by 10%, which the grid could handle.
Public EV charging expansion
Many people experience charging anxiety, worrying about the availability or reliability of charging stations while travelling. In the UK, efforts are underway to identify locations with sufficient grid capacity to support ultra-fast chargers, ensuring that no one on motorways is more than 30 miles from an ultra-rapid charging station.
The Government's rapid charging fund aims to deploy high-powered chargers across the country to accommodate the growing number of EVs. For example, £1 million has been invested in 80 rapid EV chargers at motorway services in Exeter. Additionally, new technology to boost capacity and engineering work at a new distribution substation is paving the way for more chargers.
Ways of charging your electric car
There are many ways of charging your EV: at home, at public charging networks, and at work. At The Electric Car Scheme, we have partnered with different providers to make the process of setting up charging points easier for you.
Charge your car at home
This is sourced from: https://evfleetworld.co.uk/british-gas-slashes-ev-charging-costs-with-new-4-95p-kwh-offer/
For your home charging needs, you can bundle the cost of a home charger in with your electric car, meaning you can save 30-60% on the price of that too, through salary sacrifice. We have partnered with Smart Home Charge to do this. Smart Home Charge offers everything you need to help you reap the benefits of home charging. With over 13,000 home chargers installed and counting, they’ll help you every step of the way including ordering your EV charger, assessing the work required, and completing any mandatory paperwork such as notifying your DNO of the impending electrical works so you get a hassle-free installation. Charging at home is the cheapest and most convenient way to charge your EV, so installing a home charger would be recommended if you have the space to do so!
Charge your car at the office
Office charging involves installing electric car chargers at workplaces like offices, car parks, factories, or warehouses. If you want to support your employees' switch to electric cars, it is important to consider setting up office charging.
We partnered with EVC and Connected Kerb to streamline setting up workplace charging stations for businesses. They offer support with advice, design, installation, funding, and even operation and maintenance of workplace chargers, tailored to your needs.
The cheapest way of charging your electric car is charging it at home, but many people do not have the privilege of a driveway. In this instance, there are many alternative options for running an EV without a home charger that may suit your needs.
Alternative ways of charging
While UK public charging is good, it may not match the cost and convenience of home charging. However, alternative options for running an electric car without a home charger do exist, and some may suit your needs perfectly! Some examples of alternative base charging include:
This image is sourced from: https://chargearm.com/en/
There are many ways of charging within your community, like Co Charger, an app that looks after the ‘matchmaking’ between people with chargers and those who want to charge their electric cars.
On-street parking is really helpful if you don’t have a driveway. Various solutions exist to safely deliver home power to your car, like metal channels, pavement gantries, and tunnelling your home supply to a mounted unit, without risking complaints from the council.
Home delivery charging, like Charge Fairy, will come to you to help you charge your EV.
Building grazing awareness, which basically means picking up charge on the go, as you run errands. Most places now have electric car chargers so you can charge at all the places your car stops - the supermarket, the gym, the cinema.
You can read more about the alternative ways of charging your electric car by visiting our website.
Every company in the UK can help their employees on their personal journey to net zero by offering The Electric Car Scheme as an employee benefit. For every business to offer electric car salary sacrifice, it has to be a 'no-brainer'. That’s why The Electric Car Scheme is free for the employer to set up and run. As an employer, you are protected if the car needs to be returned early. And importantly, you run the scheme without hassle, simple set-up, straightforward reporting, and 5* customer service. You can offer a cost-neutral benefit that gives employees the most affordable way to switch to an electric car. Together we’re speeding up our ability to tackle climate change by empowering others to make sustainable choices.
Watch the video below to see why you should choose The Electric Car Scheme.
Last updated: 23/05/24
