Octopus Electric Vehicles, part of the Octopus Energy Group, was launched in 2018 to offer a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) leasing service to grow the market share of electric vehicles and accelerate the UK’s transition to zero emission mobility. The company offers every EV available with a range of at least 100 miles. Electric Road chatted to Octopus EV to understand further how they are helping businesses transition to an all-electric fleet.
Offering an all-in-one service, Octopus Electric Vehicle’s expert team helps drivers to select the right car, offers charge point installations and provides electricity tariffs designed for EV drivers. The company’s Electric Dreams service is a salary sacrifice scheme that helps businesses, workplaces and employees to move to EVs in the most tax-efficient manner. Drivers typically save between 30-40% on monthly leasing payments and even up to 60% in some cases. The scheme is a zero-cost and risk-free perk to employers with just 15 minutes of admin per month for every 10 employees signed-up.
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The benefits to the employer of the salary sacrifice is an all-inclusive, low admin scheme. Octopus include insurance and accident management, servicing, maintenance and repair, road-side assistance and recovery, as well as risk mitigations for early termination and end of contract damages. In addition, Octopus Electric vehicles provides a full wrap around experience at all stages with unbiased vehicle advice, as well as workplace, home charging and tariff bundles, ensuring no driver or company is left behind in the move to electric.
The benefits to the employee is that they get access to the best and most advanced cars, while doing their bit for the country’s clean energy transition. Salary sacrifice includes all their driving costs: insurance, servicing, maintenance, repairs, road-side assistance & recovery. They just need to add electricity! As for charging and tariffs Octopus have them covered there too, alongside impartial advice to ensure they get just the right vehicle for them and their lifestyle.
Electric Road were also keen to hear from those who had already made the leap to EVs with Octopus:
James McMaster, CEO at Huel, providers of nutritionally complete food, said: “We’re not the sort of company that would go with a traditional car scheme. Being able to offer something that promotes cleaner transport has been a real benefit to helping our team live our mission of a more sustainable world, they are amazed at what a brilliant deal this is.”
Dally Purewal who heads up Co-operative Flexible Benefits, which is a part of The Midcounties Cooperative added, “I am really excited about the Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice scheme. Electric vehicles are the future, I am already seeing a real appetite from clients who are eager to offer this scheme to their employees. Not only are there huge savings of up to 45%, which makes it affordable for most households but there is a great range of vehicles with high performance levels to choose from. Further savings are made from ever rising fuel costs, cars are charged at a fraction of the cost, conveniently from home and at times that suit.”
Dally goes onto say, “As we are becoming a nation which is more and more eco-conscious this scheme satisfies the conscience and gives the employee a sense of wellbeing that they are making a low carbon choice that positively impacts on the environment and future generations to come. From an employer’s perspective, it truly endorses their Social Responsibility agenda and adds credibility to a rewards package that in return gives loyal, engaged and motivated employees and reduces employee turnover”
Helena Marson, Chief People Officer at Purplebricks said, “We are committed to improving environmental sustainability wherever we can and offering our employees the opportunity to drive an electric car through salary sacrifice is a great way to do this. Octopus EV’s salary sacrifice scheme makes driving electric easy and affordable, helping our staff lead more sustainable lifestyles.”
Mark Watson, MD, The Marketing Store added, “At The Marketing Store, we believe in actions not words and are just as committed to innovating sustainable solutions on behalf of our staff, as we are our clients. That’s why we’re delighted to be working with Octopus, a company leading the change in green customer experiences, to offer our UK permanent staff this new, cost-effective and sustainable alternative to owning a car.”
For more information on Octopus Electric Vehicles head over to www.octopusev.com
