Promotion
Since 1982 Red Kite have been at the vanguard of minibus research, development and manufacture and are now the UK’s leading supplier of school and specialist minibuses. With all of our knowledge and industry experience it will be no surprise to our customers that 2021 will see the arrival of the first of many all-electric 9-17 seat minibus models being added to the Red Kite Minibus Range.
For minibus owners the transition to electric vehicles (EV) will obviously require work place charging points. Therefore the announcement of the government’s ‘Workplace Charging Scheme’ is worth investigation. Funded by the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), the Workplace Charging Scheme provides a grant for organisations to reduce the cost of having an EV charge point installed at their premises.
The grant allows businesses, charities, and local authorities to claim 75 percent of the total cost of installation, up to a maximum of £500 per socket installed, and with a maximum of 20 sockets across all sites for each applicant. Firms based in the United Kingdom (exc. Channel Islands and Isle of Man) can claim and don’t necessarily need a plug-in vehicle on the books.
The charge points are required to have a need declared for them on application, which could include: existing EV fleet vehicles, to add an incentive for the uptake of plug-in vehicles with staff, to provide a charging solution for visitors, or to charge EVs planned to be purchased by the business or organisation. Charging for customers (where applicable) is not eligible for WCS funding.
Standard three-pin sockets are not eligible for funding and the EV charge points can only be fitted by accredited OLEV installers. These must provide a minimum of 3kW, with the supply not diminished by charging multiple vehicles simultaneously. Companies cannot claim for existing EV charging points, as the grant is available only for new charge points yet to be installed. The company also has to have dedicated off-street parking for staff, visitors or fleet use.
For more information visit www.electricminibuses.com
