UK Businesses to Invest in 163,000 EVs This Year

A new study from Centrica Business Solutions has revealed that UK businesses are expected to invest in 163,000 electric vehicles (EVs) during the course of 2022 – a 35% increase on last year. The study found that businesses invested £11.6bn in EVs and associated infrastructure (like charging points) last year. This year, that number is set to rise 15% to £13.6bn.

Only the beginning
All indications are that this is only the start of an electric revolution, as businesses increasingly wave goodbye to petrol and diesel power in favour of the clean, green, zero-emission alternative. According to this study, 62% of businesses operating fleets expect them to be fully electric by 2026 - four years ahead of the UK’s ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars. And they’re putting their money where their mouth is, too, with 44% of businesses surveyed having added more EVs to their fleet in the last year. It’s not just cars that are being bought. Businesses are spending more on infrastructure to go with them; 48% of businesses surveyed have added EV charging points to their premises, and 36% are planning to add more over the next year.

Greg McKenna, Managing Director of Centrica Business Solutions, said: “The UK continues to make significant inroads towards achieving its electric vehicle ambitions and it’s encouraging to see UK businesses prioritising investment in the journey towards electrification over the next 12 months.

“Businesses will continue to play a vital role in achieving the UK’s green transport ambitions, but with a record number of EVs expected to enter the UK this year, we must ensure the supply of vehicles and wider charging infrastructure is robust enough to meet the demand.

“Combining energy technology such as solar panels and battery storage into the wider charging infrastructure will help harness renewables and reduce the demand on the grid during peak charging times.”

EV specialist tooling
Need to get your garage prepared for this new wave of EVs? You’ll find a whole range of EV specialist tooling at Hofmann Megaplan, along with other EV-specific equipment designed to make servicing zero-emission vehicles that much easier. Browse the full range online today.