Apartment residents are being left behind as EVs become more affordable

According to the latest Census, 21.7 per cent of households in the UK live in flats, maisonettes or apartments, and as a result, many drivers feel hesitant to make the shift to EVs due to a lack of easy access to at-home charging. This gap within at-home charging, commonly referred to as the driveway disparity, needs to be addressed to avoid EV ownership remaining unfeasible for many.

The current challenge

For drivers without driveways, electric vehicle ownership is synonymous with public charging stations, which are well-established across the UK. While public charging is vital to bringing us into the e-mobility future, it is on average 3x more expensive than charging at home, and can be up to 10x more. 

The challenge now is bringing charging costs down by expanding private EV charging infrastructure to match the rapid growth of public charging. With charge point operators (CPOs) needing to make a margin and higher VAT rates applying to public charging (20 per cent) compared to the five per cent VAT rate for private, EV charging and its associated costs significantly increase for individuals lacking a private driveway. 

The EV industry, government and property leaders must work together to ensure equitable access to charging infrastructure to remove adoption barriers for flat residents and ultimately enable the widespread transition to EVs. 

Supporting those without a driveway

According to our data, over half (53 per cent) of residents living in flats plan to switch to EVs by 2029, but 70 per cent of these drivers would still be reliant on the public charging network. 

However, both residents and property managers are likely unaware of the various EV charging options and support available to them, which is dissuading property managers from installing. For example, the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) offers grants to both residents and landlords, which many people are unaware of.

The OZEV grants offer up to £350 towards the cost of purchasing and installing a domestic charging point for renters or flat owners with dedicated off-street parking. Landlords can claim up to £500 per bay, for up to 60 bays, for infrastructure via the EV infrastructure grant. Some companies handle the end-to-end management of chargers, such as ChargeGuru, which handles all grant applications, installation, and ongoing maintenance. Additionally, we provide a fully-funded apartment block charging solution at no cost to property managers or freeholders, making EV charging solutions for tenants of apartment and office buildings more accessible than ever. 

EV charging that is accessible, convenient and cost-effective is one of the biggest stepping stones to enable a true transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) to EV to take place, particularly for residents living in apartment blocks. 

ChargeGuru’s research proves that there is an appetite and interest to make the switch, so the onus is on the industry to continue to remove hurdles. The government has allocated funding to areas where it was previously lacking and organisations and companies such as ChargeGuru are enabling easier access to such funding by simplifying the process and by ‘closing the gap’ through investing in the EV infrastructure required. 

Installing EV infrastructure is a long-term decision, and it’s crucial to implement solutions that address each building’s unique challenges, whether related to upfront costs, fair access, or ongoing maintenance. With demand for EV charging only set to rise, the property sector faces increasing pressure to ensure residential developments are future-proofed for the shift towards electric mobility. Property managers and freeholders cannot afford to delay unless they want to fall behind the competition.

Denis Watling, Managing Director of ChargeGuru UK