EV Box Survey: (Fast) Charging Points and E-Company Cars are in Demand

There are still subtle reservations about e-mobility: Over 4000 people from Germany, the Netherlands, France, and the UK were surveyed. 57 percent expect companies to offer electric cars when employees can choose a company car. Potential (73%) and current electric car drivers (71%) also agreed.

The pressure to offer electric company cars is increasing

Interesting: Almost six out of ten potential German e-drivers stated that the offer of electric cars would make future employers more attractive. This percentage has risen from 48 percent to 56 percent compared to the results of an EVBox survey in 2020. Increasingly more German citizens expect companies to offer electric cars as part of their company car plans, according to the study. This expectation has significantly risen compared to 2020 among respondents from the general population (19 to 54%) as well as potential e-drivers (31 to 74%). There is also a slight increase among current e-drivers (57 to 66%). Furthermore, e-drivers surveyed from the four countries expect their employers to cover the costs of charging the company car at work (70%) and at home (60%).

32 percent of current e-drivers stated they always have enough charging points available. Charging at the workplace is desired by many respondents, with 34 percent already doing so. British e-drivers particularly charge at work (40%), followed by Dutch (38%) and French (33%), while the number of German e-drivers is the lowest (27%).

Governments and HPC charging are further in demand

Almost half of the surveyed Germans (43%) believe that their government should grant more tax benefits to forward-looking companies that offer their employees e-vehicles and/or electrify their fleet. 36 percent of German survey participants and 62 percent of potential electric car drivers among them would switch to electric driving (sooner) if there were more ultra-fast charging options along the roads. Many still find the charging process of electric cars time-consuming. 59 percent of German electric car drivers think the charging infrastructure in their country is well-developed. Seven out of ten potential electric car drivers in Europe think that the goals of improved charging infrastructure in the EU can be achieved.

"Future electric car drivers in Germany see the necessity of electric cars and the further expansion of the charging infrastructure and have confidence in the European Union's plans for this," said EVBox manager Hermann Winkler. He adds:

"Furthermore, it is expected that companies and Charging Port Operators (CPOs) take their crucial role in the transport transition seriously and support sustainable decisions – for example, through more fast-charging stations along the road. This increases people's willingness to switch to electric cars sooner. Together with CPOs, gas station owners, and other companies, we must ensure these goals are achieved.”

Fast Charging on the Main Routes

Fast charging is most frequently used at gas stations and rest stops (61%) as well as in public and commercial parking lots (53%) in the four surveyed countries. 45 percent of potential e-car drivers in Germany are willing to pay more if their car is charged faster. Compared to 2020, more German e-car drivers are familiar with the differences between regular charging and fast charging (64% vs. 77%).

German e-car drivers expect fast chargers to offer all necessary functions to make charging as simple as possible. Forty-four percent mentioned clear information on charging fees as the most important feature, followed by user-friendliness (35%), the ability to recognize a station from a distance (23%), and the display of charging status (32%).

What does this mean?

Electric cars and charging facilities make employers attractive. And the fast charging network should continue to be expanded and made as simple as possible to use.