EV trends in the UK: What businesses should plan for now

The electric vehicles (EV) space is – ahem – a fast-moving one. From new government grants to improved charging infrastructure and expanding Clean Air Zones, the landscape is shifting quickly.

These changes matter, because thousands of UK businesses, including your competitors, are already using them to reduce their costs, improve their employee benefits package, and make serious progress on sustainability.

To help you stay ahead, we’ve rounded up the five key EV trends business leaders need to know now.

First up: did you know the government is actively subsidising the cost of switching to electric? Through the Electric Car Grant, drivers can now get a discount of £1,500 to £3,750 on eligible new EVs priced at £37,000 or less.

That includes cars leased through salary sacrifice, making it even more cost-effective for businesses offering EVs as a benefit.

The size of the discount depends on how sustainably the car is produced, including the energy used to build the vehicle and manufacture its battery. It’s a smart incentive designed to reward the cleanest cars, and the companies choosing them.

If your business is considering making the switch, now’s a great time to get your wheels in motion.

One of the most common concerns we hear from businesses is about charging: Is the infrastructure really ready? Short answer: yes. And it’s improving by the day.

Octopus Electroverse, Europe’s largest charging network, has over a million chargers and counting through the app. Whether it’s your commute, weekend travel, or cross-country trips, reliable chargepoints are already widespread, and still growing.

The UK government is also investing heavily. Just last month, £63 million was pledged to expand at-home charging for households without driveways and to install thousands of chargepoints at business depots across the country.

And if you’re looking to install chargers at your own sites, the EV infrastructure grant makes that easier too. It covers:

• 75% of installation costs (up to £15,000)
• £350 per chargepoint socket
• £500 per enabled parking space
• Available across up to five different sites

All this is making the switch to electric a no-brainer for most UK businesses.

Clean Air Zones (CAZ) and Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ) are being rolled out in more UK cities — and the impact on businesses is growing. If your vehicles don’t meet emissions standards, you could be paying up to £12.50 per vehicle, per day to operate in these areas.

That already includes key cities like London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Bristol, with others set to follow. Oxford, for example, is planning a major expansion of its Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ), extending far beyond its current pilot area.

EVs, on the other hand, are fully exempt from CAZ, ULEZ and the London Congestion Charge because they produce no tailpipe emissions.

So although costs for high-emission vehicles are rising, EVs offer a smart route to compliance and savings. Switching now could protect your business from mounting daily charges and help you stay ahead of future regulations.

The UK will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035. It’s a major policy shift and a clear signal that EVs are the new default for commercial and personal transport.

2035 might feel distant, but the financial incentives to switch are already here. Rising fuel prices, sky-high maintenance costs for petrol and diesel vehicles, and increasing CAZ charges are making EVs a far more cost-effective option for employees and businesses.

Forward-thinking companies are acting now – not just by updating their fleets, but by helping employees to access EVs at an affordable price. One of the best (and cheapest) ways to do this is by offering an EV salary sacrifice scheme. It’s quick and easy to set up – and best of all, it’s completely free.

Let’s explore that in more detail. Our EV salary sacrifice scheme is rapidly gaining traction across lots of sectors, and for good reason.

For your employees, it’s a smart, tax-efficient way to drive electric without the upfront costs. They get a fully insured, maintained EV for a single monthly payment taken from their pre-tax salary. No hidden costs, no faff – just huge savings and a top-spec car.

It’s a zero-cost employee benefit that ticks every box:

• Saves you money by reducing your National Insurance payments
• Helps with recruitment and retention
• Boosts your sustainability profile by encouraging lower-emission commuting
• Gives your employees a benefit they’ll love without costing you anything

We’ve helped thousands of businesses launch salary sacrifice schemes, from Huel to Amtivo Group. We handle the setup, the education, and the admin, so your team can hit the road quickly and confidently.

We’ll even throw in a free home charger installation, or 4,000 miles of Electroverse credit, to make the transition even smoother for your employees.

For business leaders, the direction of travel is clear. Whether you want to cut costs, engage your employees in your sustainability goals, or offer more competitive benefits, EVs should be part of the plan.

Government support is strong, chargepoints are spreading quickly, and salary sacrifice is making EVs more accessible than ever, all without costing your business anything. And the sooner you get started, the more your business (and your people) stand to gain.

If you’re ready to explore what this could look like for you, we’re here to help.