Making Workplaces EV-Ready
Posted on: 14/01/2026
There is a clear push from the UK government to encourage electric vehicle manufacturing, and this will inevitably impact businesses across the country. In 2023, the government introduced the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain to be zero emission by 2030.
One obvious outcome of the ZEV mandate will be an increase in electric vehicles on the road, and businesses will need to accommodate this on their sites. Part S of the Building Regulations 2010 mandates that all new non-residential buildings with 10 or more parking spaces must have at least one active charge point, and cable routes for 20% of the remaining spaces to facilitate future installations. Between 2023 – 2024, 41% of company cars are fully electric and in September 2025, 71.4% of pure battery electric vehicles (BEV) registrations were by businesses or to be used in fleets. These stats raise the question: Why don’t businesses make their current sites EV-ready?
Since May 2025, planning permission is no longer required to install EV charge points on commercial properties and business sites, significantly reducing installation delays and costs. The Workplace Charging Scheme also offers grants of up to 75% of installation costs, capped at £350 per socket for up to 40 sockets.
There are clearly schemes in place to encourage businesses to make their sites EV-ready, but this raises another question: How do businesses make their sites EV-ready?
Line marking:
In the UK, EV charging bays are typically identified by green markings to differentiate them from other spaces. White markings are often used to outline each space with additional text or symbols within the space. Common symbols and text for EV charging bays include an EV charger symbol or text to say, ‘EV Only’ or ‘Electric Vehicle Parking Only’.
Stencils are a cost effective and convenient way to mark icons and wording within a space, as they are reusable, making the bays easy to maintain following years of use and wear. Businesses can simply reapply the paint once it starts to fade without the need for replacement stencils or time-consuming thermoplastic.
Signage:
In addition to line markings, signage is another way that businesses can make parking bays easily identifiable. In low visibility or winter conditions, it may be difficult to identify which bays are dedicated to electric vehicles, so signage can be installed to avoid ambiguity and clearly identify which bays should be occupied. Signage can also offer relevant instructions for the EV charger if required. For example, a step-by-step guide on how to use the chargers may be required on each station.
‘Reverse parking only’ or disability access signs may also be necessary if there are space restrictions or dedicated disabled parking spaces.
In summary, electric vehicles are set to rise in popularity in the coming years, and as businesses can claim capital allowances on zero CO2 emissions company cars, there will be even more workplaces that require EV charging facilities. Stencils, line markings and signage are all ways in which businesses can prepare for the change and make their sites EV-ready. The next time a business is looking at updating its premises or parking facilities, EV charging facilities could be something to consider.
One obvious outcome of the ZEV mandate will be an increase in electric vehicles on the road, and businesses will need to accommodate this on their sites. Part S of the Building Regulations 2010 mandates that all new non-residential buildings with 10 or more parking spaces must have at least one active charge point, and cable routes for 20% of the remaining spaces to facilitate future installations. Between 2023 – 2024, 41% of company cars are fully electric and in September 2025, 71.4% of pure battery electric vehicles (BEV) registrations were by businesses or to be used in fleets. These stats raise the question: Why don’t businesses make their current sites EV-ready?
Since May 2025, planning permission is no longer required to install EV charge points on commercial properties and business sites, significantly reducing installation delays and costs. The Workplace Charging Scheme also offers grants of up to 75% of installation costs, capped at £350 per socket for up to 40 sockets.
There are clearly schemes in place to encourage businesses to make their sites EV-ready, but this raises another question: How do businesses make their sites EV-ready?
Line marking:
In the UK, EV charging bays are typically identified by green markings to differentiate them from other spaces. White markings are often used to outline each space with additional text or symbols within the space. Common symbols and text for EV charging bays include an EV charger symbol or text to say, ‘EV Only’ or ‘Electric Vehicle Parking Only’.
Stencils are a cost effective and convenient way to mark icons and wording within a space, as they are reusable, making the bays easy to maintain following years of use and wear. Businesses can simply reapply the paint once it starts to fade without the need for replacement stencils or time-consuming thermoplastic.
Signage:
In addition to line markings, signage is another way that businesses can make parking bays easily identifiable. In low visibility or winter conditions, it may be difficult to identify which bays are dedicated to electric vehicles, so signage can be installed to avoid ambiguity and clearly identify which bays should be occupied. Signage can also offer relevant instructions for the EV charger if required. For example, a step-by-step guide on how to use the chargers may be required on each station.
‘Reverse parking only’ or disability access signs may also be necessary if there are space restrictions or dedicated disabled parking spaces.
In summary, electric vehicles are set to rise in popularity in the coming years, and as businesses can claim capital allowances on zero CO2 emissions company cars, there will be even more workplaces that require EV charging facilities. Stencils, line markings and signage are all ways in which businesses can prepare for the change and make their sites EV-ready. The next time a business is looking at updating its premises or parking facilities, EV charging facilities could be something to consider.
