One in three (30%) office workers would like employers to install electric vehicle (EV) charge points, new research by Go Ultra Low reveals.

The survey also suggests that 31% would like to see EV carpooling or plug-in company cars introduced.

Poppy Welch, head of the joint Government and industry campaign Go Ultra Low, said: “Employers have already made positive changes in the workplace to be more sustainable, but there are further changes businesses can make.

“Our research has shown that EVs offer a popular solution for companies looking to reduce their environmental footprint and satisfy their worker’s concerns.”

The findings follow changes to benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax this year, with a new zero percentage rate for pure electric company cars introduced. 

Despite the changes to BIK coming into effect in April, just a quarter (25%) of professionals knew about the reduced tax, says Go Ultra Low.

Once made aware, four in 10 (42%) said they were more likely to consider choosing an EV as a company car. Three quarters (73%) agreed that the measures were a positive way to encourage people to switch to an EV and a large majority thought their companies should consider offering EVs (70%) as a result.

Furthermore, two thirds (63%) said they would be happy to drive an electric car, citing their reduced running costs (60%) and environmental benefits (53%) as their most appealing factors.

However, workers acknowledged the challenging financial conditions their employers were operating in, with 39% suggesting that budget constraints could be holding back their employer from introducing greener initiatives.

Welch said: “There are a variety of steps that businesses can take to be more sustainable, but it can be difficult to know where to start – especially when a number of measures require an upfront cost to implement.

“Recent changes to BIK tax means EVs offer low-hanging fruit to employers looking to enhance their company’s green credentials. From their reduced environmental impact, to the savings you can make on fuel, tax and maintenance costs, EVs bring significant benefits.”

For advice from Fleet News on implementing a workplace charging scheme, click here.