Simon Crangle at Sevadis discusses the evolving EV industry and how this presents ample opportunities for wholesalers and installers.
2022 is shaping to be a momentous year for the electric vehicle industry with electric vehicles making up more than half of new vehicle registrations and now representing 1 in 6 new cars joining the UK roads. Despite the pulling of the plug-in vehicle grant, drivers are continuing to express their desire for making the switch for various reasons such as long-term cost savings, greater driving range, more modes to choose, the reduction of carbon footprint and more.
As the demand for electric vehicles surges, so does the requirement for accessible EV charging points, whether that be public or private use. It goes without saying that for the EV revolution to continue its upward trend, a nationwide EV chargepoint roll-out is a necessity to cater for the number of cleaner and greener vehicles on UK roads.
We are only half way through the year and the industry is moving at a pace like never before, with key stakeholders committing to supporting the road to Net Zero, the future is indeed electric.
OZEV grant funding
Last year the government announced eligibility criteria changes to the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme with an aim to focus on rental residents, landlords and social housing providers; areas which are now benefiting from grant funding to alleviate the costs towards the installation and purchase of EV charging points.
Historically, apartment blocks were neglected and as a result, residents in multi-unit buildings were discouraged from adopting an electric vehicle. Now, apartment block owners can take advantage of up to £30,000 grant funding towards their chosen EV charging points and installation costs; a move undoubtedly welcomed by landlords.
This particular level of grant funding presents installers with significant opportunities, allowing them to install multiple EV charging points per apartment block, therefore earning more revenue. Of course, wholesalers benefit from this too as installers will wish to purchase the EV charging points from their local dedicated supplier.
Alongside the shift in focus for the residential grant funding scheme, this year OZEV has diversified its grant funding incentive to include SMEs, small accommodation businesses, charities and commercially let properties, whilst also continuing its ever-popular Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS).
The WCS alone brought many opportunities for wholesalers and installers; the introduction of greater levels of grant funding for more businesses and organisations can only mean one thing – further growth. Businesses and organisations across the UK are keener than ever before to install EV charging points across their premises and whilst the grant funding has a part to play in this notion, businesses and organisations are truly starting to believe in the future of electrified transport.
Smart charging regulations
From 30th June 2022, all electric vehicle charging points sold and installed must comply to The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021. The regulations are in place to ensure that electric vehicle charging points possess smart functionalities, enabling EVs to recharge when there is less demand on the grid, or when more renewable and cleaner electricity is available.
To comply with the smart charging regulations, EV charging points must have the following: smart functionality to receive and send information; electricity supplier interoperability; off-peak charging; randomised delayed charging; continued charging; safety provisions; a measuring system and must be consistent with the existing cyber security standard ETSI EN 303 645.
Naturally, there were concerns surrounding the implementation of the regulations as installers were finding that some of their customers were opting for offline EV charging points at their homes.
However, the introduction of these new regulations provide for greater opportunities as more and more prospective electric vehicle drivers are understanding the benefits of smart charging at home – not only does smart charging alleviate pressure on the grid, but it also provides EV drivers with long-term cost savings; the latter being a key reason why end users are opting for the installation of smart EV charging points at home.
Whilst the standardisation of EV charging points increases the competitive landscape for EV charge point providers, for installers and wholesalers, the new regulations facilitate greater opportunities in the growing green industry, which moves us onto our next focus.
Mandatory EV charge points on new builds
It is now common knowledge that all new home builds from mid-June must be equipped with smart electric vehicle charging points. With the UK population only increasing, the requirement for new houses is pivotal, hence the proliferation of new housing developments across all areas of the UK. Each of these developments must ensure that EV charging points are installed in order to provide convenient and accessible charging for residents.
This new legislation provides electrical wholesalers of all shapes and sizes with significant scope in the immediate, near and far future; with a nationwide focus on the roll-out of charging points, demand is set to increase with both installers and developers requiring charging solutions for their upcoming development projects.
The mandatory EV charge point law for new build developments also applies to workplaces, supermarkets, destinations and more; essentially, every new build development, whether it be domestic or commercial requires installation of EV charging points. Combining this with the OZEV grant funding available to businesses and organisations, the requirement for EV charging points at commercial and workplace locations creates a window of opportunities for installers and wholesalers.
There are numerous businesses and organisations in the UK that are reluctant to deploy EV charging infrastructure across their premises, however with the correct knowledge, product and support, decision makers are becoming comfortable and confident in the roll-out of charging facilities for both private and public requirements.
Choose smart
At Sevadis, all electric vehicle charging points are compliant to regulations, smart and OZEV grant funded, providing ideal solutions for both domestic and commercial requirements.
With a team of over 15 years of collective EV charging experience, Sevadis understands the needs of all customer-bases and scenarios; that’s why it offers a solution for all budgets, locations and user-cases. Whether it’s a new build development, a depot, a shopping centre, a visitor attraction or a holiday park, the comprehensive range of smart charging solutions and a proficient team of experts are here to support requirements of all shapes and sizes.
Get to know Sevadis’ portfolio of EV charging products here
