Fleet drivers living in flats are being left out of the EV revolution

As the UK continues it progress to eliminate fossil fuel vehicles, one group of residents appear to have been overlooked – those who live in flats and apartments, or in housing that doesn’t have off-street parking such terraced blocks. Denis Watling, Managing Director of ChargeGuru UK considers the implications of this situation and offers some positive solutions.

Denis Watling

The UK is undergoing a major shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), with almost 1 in 5 new vehicles sold in 2024 being a fully-electric vehicle. This, coupled with the news that Britain has become Europe’s largest electric car market for the first time ever, is fantastic momentum for the industry and brings the UK closer to achieving our net zero goals.

However, for the millions of people living in flats and apartment buildings, this progress feels out of reach. Fleet drivers in particular who rely on their vehicle for work often face challenges when it comes to installing a personal home charger, particularly if their building lacks the necessary infrastructure.

The EV charging divide

According to the latest census, 21.7 percent of households in the UK live in flats, maisonettes, or apartments. This is equivalent to 5.4 million people, many of whom do not have a private driveway and therefore cannot install a personal home charger.

Many drivers who live in apartments feel hesitant to make the shift to EVs. In fact, ChargeGuru’s own data found that over 70 percent of residents who live in flats or apartment buildings report that they are or would be reliant on public charging, which is on average 3x more expensive than charging at home and can be up to 10x more.

In addition to more expensive electricity, there is a further operational cost to fleets when their drivers need to charge on the public network: the cost of time. Having to charge during working hours, rather than at home, creates inefficiency for fleets and creates further cost implications for their business.

Thus, the ability for drivers to charge at home is essential for large scale EV adoption. Ultimately, cars spend most of their time parked at home, meaning it is the most time efficient for drivers to charge overnight when parked up. Of course, public charging infrastructure needs to stay aligned with EV adoption –  and it is. Nearly 20,000 public chargers were installed in the UK last year, bringing the total to over 74,000 devices, almost double the number from the end of 2022. But without at-home charging options for all drivers, the fleet EV transition could stall.

At home charging for fleets

For fleet managers, widespread EV adoption is only viable if drivers can charge easily and affordably. While businesses are keen to transition to electric fleets, the reality is that many employees do not have suitable home charging access. At-home charging allows drivers to start each day with a fully charged battery without the need to stop at more costly and time consuming public charging stations along the way.

Any range anxiety a driver may feel due to a lack of experience with, or trust in, public chargers is eliminated. A fully charged battery before departure provides a sense of security for those with long or unpredictable travel schedules, ensuring a hassle-free experience.

A view of an animation projected onto a flat building at London Bridge as part of a campaign by ChargeGuru UK highlighting the inequitable access to EV chargers for millions of people living in flats. Photo credit should read: David Parry/PA Media Assignments

The role of the landlord

Until the disparity between at home and public charging is addressed, and the needs of those living in flats and apartments are considered, switching to an EV, for many, will not be an economically viable option.

Many residents of flats and apartments do not realise that there are options available, which their landlords can help with. It is important that we, as an industry, educate residents and help them engage with their property manager or landlord, as any installation will need their buy-in and approval. There are also grants available to both residents and landlords, provided by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).

OZEV grants can knock £350 off the cost of purchasing and installing a domestic charging point and is available for people who live in a rented property or own a flat with dedicated off-street parking. Landlords or property managers can also claim up to an additional £500 per-bay (for up to 60 bays per building) towards the cost of installing infrastructure for residents via the EV infrastructure grant for residential car parks. ChargeGuru, as an end-to-end charging solution provider, offers a fully-funded apartment block charging solution at zero cost to property managers and freeholders, making EV charging simpler for building owners & managers and more accessible to residents.

Looking forward

The UK is now a leader in the global transition to sustainable mobility, and so it is crucial that we’re seen to be prioritising inclusivity. For EV adoption to be truly widespread, we must remove the barriers faced by apartment-dwelling drivers—including those using company cars or fleet vehicles. If landlords and businesses work together to provide home charging solutions, we can ensure that the transition to electric mobility is practical, cost-effective, and accessible for all.