Skip to main content Skip to footer 
Aberdeen businesses thinking about workplace EV charging are often asking the wrong question. The question is not whether they can afford to install chargers, but whether they can afford not to. The workforce in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire is changing. More employees drive electric vehicles than ever before, and more of them are choosing their next employer partly based on practical benefits. A workplace EV charger is no longer a novelty. It is becoming a standard expectation alongside good parking and flexible hours.
This guide covers how workplace EV charging works as a staff benefit, what charger types suit different Aberdeen business premises, what the OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme grant covers, and what the tax position is for employers and employees.
Why Aberdeen businesses are installing workplace chargers now
The Aberdeen employment market has several characteristics that make workplace EV charging particularly relevant. A significant proportion of the workforce commutes from Aberdeenshire market towns including Inverurie, Westhill, Stonehaven, and Banchory. These are 20 to 40 minute drives, and employees who drive EVs are actively looking for opportunities to top up during the working day rather than adding a separate detour to a public charger.
The oil and gas sector, which remains central to the Aberdeen economy, employs a large number of high earners who are among the first adopters of premium electric vehicles. These are exactly the staff retention candidates who notice when an employer has invested in facilities that match their lifestyle. A contractor at an oil and gas operator who drives a Tesla Model 3 or a BMW i4 appreciates a charger at the office or yard in a way that translates directly into loyalty.
Beyond oil and gas, Aberdeen’s professional services, healthcare, and public sector employers all face competitive recruitment markets. Workplace EV charging is a visible, low cost benefit that requires minimal ongoing administration once installed.
How workplace charging works as a staff benefit
From the employee’s perspective, workplace charging is simple. They park, plug in, and by the time they leave, their vehicle has gained 30 to 60 miles of range or more depending on the charger type and how long they are parked. For a standard 7kW AC charger and a typical 8 hour working day, an EV can gain 40 to 56kWh of charge, which is enough to fully charge most modern EVs.
For the employer, the setup is straightforward once installation is complete. The employer pays the electricity consumed. Access can be controlled by RFID card, app, or PIN. Usage data can be tracked per employee if the employer wants to recover costs, though many simply provide free charging as a benefit.
The tax position for free workplace charging
HMRC has specific guidance on employer provided EV charging at the workplace. Employees do not pay Benefit in Kind (BIK) tax on electricity provided by their employer at a workplace charger, provided the charger is available to all employees and not just a select group. There is no P11D liability for the employee and no Class 1A National Insurance for the employer on the electricity cost.
This makes workplace charging one of the genuinely tax efficient benefits available to employers. An employer who provides £200 to £400 + VAT worth of free electricity per year per employee pays no additional payroll tax on that amount, and the employee receives the full value without any income tax reduction. Note that this applies to workplace charging only and not to reimbursing employees for home charging costs, which HMRC treats differently.
Types of workplace chargers for Aberdeen premises
7kW AC chargers for full day parking
A 7kW tethered or untethered AC charger is the most common choice for workplace installations where employees park for a full working day. A 7kW charger adds around 40kWh of charge over 6 hours. For most employees, this is more than sufficient to cover the commute home and the following morning’s drive. Single phase 7kW chargers work with a standard commercial electrical supply and do not require a three phase upgrade.
Multiple 7kW units can be installed across a car park, with each post serving one or two bays. For a business with 10 employees who drive EVs, 10 to 12 units provides a sensible starting point with capacity to expand as the EV fleet grows.
22kW AC chargers for shift pattern premises
For premises with a three phase supply and shift patterns where employees park for 3 to 4 hours at a time, 22kW AC units deliver roughly three times the charge rate of a 7kW unit. A 22kW charger adds 50 to 100 miles of range in under 2 hours, making it suitable for NHS sites, hospitality venues, and industrial yards where vehicles rotate throughout the day.
Faithful Spark assesses the incoming supply capacity at survey stage to confirm whether a three phase upgrade is needed or whether the existing supply accommodates the additional load.
DC rapid chargers for commercial fleets
For businesses operating their own commercial EV fleet, a DC rapid charger at the yard or depot may be the right choice. DC chargers operate at 50kW or above and add 100 miles of range in 20 to 30 minutes, which matters when fleet vehicles need to turn around quickly between shifts. DC charger installation involves a dedicated circuit, potentially a grid connection upgrade with SSEN, and higher hardware costs. Faithful Spark scopes these projects on a case by case basis.
The OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme grant
The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) runs the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS), which provides financial support to eligible businesses, charities, and public sector organisations installing EV chargepoints at staff or fleet locations.
The WCS grant covers:
- Up to 75% of the purchase and installation cost per socket.
- Up to £350 per socket + VAT.
- Up to 40 sockets per applicant, giving a maximum of £14,000 in total grant support.
To qualify, the charger must be installed by an OZEV approved installer. Faithful Spark is on the OZEV approved installer list. The WCS application is submitted before installation begins. We assist the business with the voucher application as part of the project scoping process, so businesses do not need to navigate the OZEV portal independently.
For a full picture of EV charger grants available in Scotland, including domestic options alongside the WCS, see our guide on EV charger grants in Scotland for 2026.
Planning and Building Standards for workplace installations
The planning position for workplace EV chargers is similar to domestic installations. In most cases, commercial charger installation falls within Permitted Development Rights and no planning application is required. The main exceptions are listed buildings, conservation area properties, and properties with specific planning conditions.
Aberdeen city centre and the West End include commercial properties in conservation areas and listed buildings. Faithful Spark flags planning questions at survey stage and advises on any steps needed before installation can proceed. Building Standards notification is required for all EV charger installations and is handled automatically through the NICEIC competent person scheme. For the full planning framework, see our guide on planning permission for EV chargers in Scotland.
The business case for workplace charging
For a business with 15 car parking spaces and 6 employees who drive EVs, the numbers stack up quickly. Installing 6 units at approximately £900 to £1,200 per unit gives a total pre grant cost of £5,400 to £7,200. The WCS grant at £350 per socket reduces this by £2,100, bringing the net cost to £3,300 to £5,100. Six employees each saving approximately £400 per year in public charging costs gives a payback period of 1 to 3 years, with an ongoing recruitment and retention benefit at no marginal cost thereafter.
Smart chargers programmed to charge during off peak tariff hours reduce the electricity cost per kWh further. Aberdeen’s grid is well supplied, and off peak overnight rates from suppliers like Octopus Energy and OVO are available to commercial customers on suitable contracts.
What the installation process involves
- Site survey: Faithful Spark assesses the electrical supply, identifies the best chargepoint locations, and scopes the cable route from the distribution board to each charger position.
- WCS voucher application: We assist the business in applying for the OZEV WCS voucher before any work begins. Voucher approval typically takes 5 to 10 working days.
- Installation: Charger units are installed, cable routes are completed, and each unit is tested and commissioned.
- NICEIC notification: All electrical work is notified to Building Standards through the NICEIC scheme. An Electrical Installation Certificate is issued for each circuit.
- WCS grant claim: Once the installation is certified, we submit the WCS grant claim on the business’s behalf.
The timeline from survey to completed installation is typically 2 to 4 weeks, depending on supply availability and cable route complexity.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to upgrade my business electricity supply?
Not always. A small number of 7kW chargers can often be accommodated on an existing commercial single phase or three phase supply without an upgrade. Where the installation involves a large number of units or 22kW chargers, a supply capacity assessment is needed and an upgrade may be required from SSEN. We assess this at survey stage before any costs are committed.
Can I charge both company vehicles and employee personal vehicles?
Yes. Workplace chargers can serve both company fleet vehicles and employee personal vehicles. The WCS grant applies regardless of whether the charger is primarily for fleet or staff use. The BIK tax exemption applies to employee personal vehicle charging at the employer’s premises.
Is there a minimum number of chargers to qualify for the WCS grant?
No. A business can apply for the WCS grant for a single socket and still receive the £350 per socket contribution. There is no minimum, only a maximum of 40 sockets per applicant.
We are a small business with only 2 or 3 employees who drive EVs. Is it worth installing?
Yes, particularly given the grant support available. For 2 to 3 sockets, the net cost after the WCS grant is typically £1,000 to £2,500 for supply, installation, and commissioning. The staff retention benefit and the tax efficient nature of the electricity provision make this one of the lower cost workplace benefits available.
What happens if an employee who uses the charger leaves?
The charger remains with the premises. Smart charger management systems allow access credentials to be revoked per employee within minutes through the app or management portal. Faithful Spark recommends networked smart chargers rather than basic units precisely because of this access management capability.
Book a free workplace site survey
Faithful Spark carries out free workplace site surveys for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire businesses. We assess the electrical supply, identify chargepoint locations, advise on charger type and smart management options, and outline the WCS grant application process. No obligation. Serving Aberdeen, Peterhead, Ellon, Fraserburgh, and the wider Aberdeenshire area.
Faithful Spark Electricians. NICEIC approved. OZEV listed. Local Aberdeen team. Serving Aberdeen, Peterhead, Ellon, Fraserburgh and across Aberdeenshire.
