Companies Install Electric Vehicle Charging Points Amid Public Infrastructure Shortfall

In response to the perceived inadequacy of public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, Spanish companies are taking the lead by deploying their own charging points.

Notably, 91% of companies are either establishing or planning to establish their own charging strategies. This proactive approach translates into concrete actions: 54% have already installed or will install charging points at their facilities within the next 12 months, and 43% will financially support the installation of home chargers for employees with company cars.

This is revealed in the seventeenth edition of the 'Arval Mobility Observatory' report, which indicates that the motivations for this shift towards electrification and alternative energies in corporate fleets are varied, prioritising practical aspects over purely environmental ones in Spain.

The main reasons cited include corporate reputation (29%), the need to navigate Low Emission Zones (LEZ) (27%), and anticipation of future policies (26%). Interestingly, environmental reasons (24%) carry less weight than in the rest of Europe (36%), where fuel savings (32%) are also a significant driver.

The current use or intention to use new energies or technologies in corporate car fleets shows a notable decline compared to the previous year's results, aligning with European averages, according to the same study.

Thus, 57% of Spanish and European companies already use alternative energies (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles - PHEV, Hybrid Electric Vehicles - HEV, or Battery Electric Vehicles - BEV) in their car fleets. Over the next three years, 71% of Spanish companies (16 points less than in 2024) and 75% of European companies (2 points less) are implementing or considering implementing new energies.

The main decline in use or intention to use in Spain is concentrated in hybrid models (from 63% to 49% this year), which remain the most utilised option currently. Within BEVs, companies forecast that 20% of their fleets will be composed of 100% electric vehicles over the next three years, both in Europe and Spain.

Another significant finding from the 'Arval Mobility Observatory' is that the main challenge for fleet managers is to ensure their drivers drive better and more safely. Training in efficient and safe driving is the most demanded additional mobility service. The study suggests this interest may be related to the annual accident rate of corporate vehicle users (at least one accident or scrape in 2024) standing at 19%, increasing by one point compared to the previous year's results.