As electric vehicles become more popular, current and potential owners realize they need places to charge them. Why not do that at work, where many drivers will spend significant amounts of time per week? Some employers offer that perk, but anyone wondering why it is not more widespread often learns the matter is more complicated than they realized.
Potential Fire Risks
The low likelihood of EVs catching on fire and causing substantial property damage may discourage employers from offering on-site charging stations. That is particularly true if they see news reports and pictures of charred automobile bodies and fire crews diligently trying to manage the blazes.
However, research is emerging that electric vehicles are less prone to catch fire than it may seem based on media coverage. Consider a study examining a decade’s worth of data showing only 0.0012% of passenger EVs catch fire. That team also cited several examples of research conducted elsewhere suggesting the risk of these emergencies is lower for EVs than for gas-powered cars.
It is worth pointing out that although these emergencies are less common overall, complicating factors make them harder to manage. For example, lithium-ion battery fires may burn longer or more intensely than other blazes. Additionally, firefighters face new hazards from these power sources’ chemicals. These dangers require fire chiefs and other relevant authorities to understand how to keep first responders safe.
Despite the insignificant threat to employees, reports of EV fires have caused some corporate decision-makers to ban charging. That occurred at a golf club and state-owned hospital group in Australia, and workers could no longer charge their personal vehicles at the locations.
If leaders in the United States read about that decision or others like it, they may decide offering EV charging as a workplace perk is not worth considering. Beyond the perceived fire risks, they may hesitate if on-site chargers require insurance changes that increase premiums.
Wide Availability of Home Chargers
As workplace leaders weigh the pros and cons of specific benefits, they may wonder if offering EV charging would genuinely impress employees. Should they just budget for gym memberships or better snacks instead?
One widely cited concern of potential electric vehicle users is it is usually much easier to find gas stations than chargers. Some wonder if EVs would be up to the task if they went on lengthy road trips through relatively isolated parts of the country. However, most people purchasing these automobiles may charge them at their homes.
Consider one 2024 survey that found 86% of respondents can access chargers at their residences. Although that poll only involved 500 EV drivers, it shows how people can look beyond public chargers to meet their vehicles’ power replenishment needs.
Some leaders may try to estimate how many workers currently have electric vehicles, using the result to guide their decisions about charging stations. However, that relatively straightforward option may not tell the whole story. Perhaps some staff live in residences that cannot feasibly accommodate at-home charging systems. On-site options could cause them to become EV owners, especially if recharging capability was previously a major obstacle.
Indeed, research about charging point utilization at workplaces revealed a 64% rise in people choosing to avail of those resources. However, installations only rose by 22% during the examined period, suggesting that availability must catch up to demand. Another interesting tidbit was 69% of employers allowed team members to charge their EVs on-site for free.
Many already encourage the workforce to take public transportation or use bikes, often offering associated perks to make the transition easier. Getting executives to install charging points instead could be a relatively easy proposition.
Cumbersome Charging Rules
One complication in the United States versus other countries offering EV charging is the specifics vary by state, potentially requiring parties to do more digging than expected to verify the legalities. Some commercial EV chargers replenish the battery up to 20 miles every minute, while others work much more slowly. However, it is not necessarily the charger type that causes legal red tape for workplace administrators. Issues sometimes arise based on how charging infrastructure affects related laws for staff or the wider public.
In October 2023, some state government workers in California received a memo stating they could no longer charge their personal vehicles with chargers at their workplaces. However, fire worries were not to blame this time. According to the department that issued the memo, the Americans with Disabilities Act necessitated this restriction.
More specifically, workplaces are liable for chargers not meeting ADA requirements. A charging point is a “fleet” charger if it does not offer wheelchair access. Only state-owned vehicles can use those options. Conversely, someone can use a charger designated as a “workplace” point for personal cars, but not all of the state’s workplaces have those.
California workplaces that must abide by this rule also became surprisingly strict in determining whether team members complied. They installed special hardware and issued cards that would only allow credentialed users to access the fleet chargers.
This example shows how installing chargers may be more complex than some workplace leaders expect. They must examine federal and state laws to ensure nothing they do could break obvious or obscure laws. Some people stay motivated despite these challenges, though. Statistics show driving comprises 16.2% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, giving individuals plenty of reasons to find ways to reduce that figure.
Workplace Charging Worth Exploring
These examples show workplace decision-makers have numerous elements to consider before approving the installation and use of EV chargers. However, if they decide to go ahead with that option, a practical tip is to issue guidance that indicates how people can and cannot use the chargers. That information keeps everyone on the same page and reduces future problems.
Those involved with EV chargers for staff should also familiarize themselves with the current state of EV owners within their workforce and how things might change soon. Such details could help them decide how many chargers to purchase, which types to consider and where to place them for maximum utilization.
