EV Charging As An Employee Benefit Can Be More Than Free Electrons – EQ Mag
When people think of employee benefits, they usually think of the standard offerings such as health insurance, retirement plans, vacation time, and sick leave. In addition to standard employee benefits, there are many other unique benefits that some companies offer to their employees. These often include flexible work arrangements, wellness programs, parental leave for mothers and fathers, education assistance or tuition reimbursement, employee discounts for company products or services, volunteer time off, transportation assistance, personalized employee development plans and coaching sessions, and onsite amenities such as a cafeteria, nap room, or dry cleaning services.
These less common benefits are becoming increasingly popular as more companies recognize the importance of work-life balance and supporting their employees’ personal and professional growth, beyond the traditional benefits package. But, they can sometimes backfire, making people who don’t work at the company think that employees in such companies are lazy or pampered (Twitter’s extensive non-standard benefits are a great example of this, especially once right-wing social media got wind of them).
But, one thing I’ve never seen as an employee benefit was a highly-managed EV charging benefit. Sure, many employers offer free EV charging, but few try to manage it more carefully the way that they manage other benefits. But, this could be a new trend, at least if a recent announcement from a Massachusetts city government is any indication.
MoveEV has collaborated with Mayor Nicole LaChapelle of Easthampton to launch an electric vehicle adoption benefit for the employees of Easthampton. This initiative makes Easthampton the first city to take this step and marks a significant milestone in the city’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
MoveEV says it is an innovative, AI-driven green tech company that provides solutions to organizations and municipalities seeking to transition to fully electric vehicles, thereby reducing their carbon footprint, saving money, and pursuing net-zero emissions targets by 2035. According to the company, it offers comprehensive software and services to both fleets and employees to support the transition to electric vehicles. With its innovative suite of tools and expertise, MoveEV aims to enable companies to confidently and efficiently advance their sustainability goals.
On top of managing the employee charging benefit, MoveEV will help the city transition all of its vehicles to electric vehicles to expand the impact of the program. This move towards sustainable transportation aligns with Easthampton’s broader Climate Action Plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
The partnership between MoveEV and Easthampton offers both economic and environmental benefits. The employees of Easthampton stand to benefit from federal and state incentives worth up to $3 million and save $900,000 annually on gas by shifting to electric vehicles. In addition to cost savings, replacing traditional vehicles with EVs has the potential to reduce the average carbon dioxide emissions of each vehicle by 4.7 metric tons per year, resulting in the removal of 1,500 MTCo2 annually.
For the city’s fleet vehicles, transitioning to EVs within the next 5-10 years is expected to save $360,000 a year solely on gas expenses, while also reducing carbon emissions by 600 MTCo2 annually. This collaboration is a remarkable step towards the development of a greener and more sustainable community.
“We are excited to partner with MoveEV to help Easthampton reach our sustainability goals. In a fast moving industry, this public – private partnership with MoveEV gives Easthampton the technical support necessary to move toward vehicle decarbonization,” said Mayor Nicole LaChappelle. “Electric car by electric car, the City will see a measurable material impact – environmental and financial – while leveraging government and private incentives.”
The announcement of the electric vehicle adoption benefit for employees of Easthampton coincides with the city’s Earth Day event, which is scheduled for April 20th. The event, intended for municipal employees, will take place at City Hall on 50 Payson Avenue from 12pm to 4pm. Mayor LaChapelle and MoveEV CEO David Lewis will give remarks at the event at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively. This initiative is an important step towards reducing carbon emissions and contributes to the city’s ongoing efforts to promote sustainability.
“We are thrilled to be working with the City of Easthampton to help them halve their emissions by 2030,” said MoveEV’s founder and CEO, David Lewis. “Electric vehicles are a game-changer for the environment, and will also save the city and its taxpayers a tremendous amount of money. With the combination of MoveEV’s fleet and HR programs, we are confident that Easthampton will be a leader in helping Massachusetts reach its sustainability goals.”
At the Earth Day event at City Hall, municipal employees in attendance will have the opportunity to test drive electric vehicles. In addition, MoveEV’s employee benefits portal will be highlighted as part of the event. The portal is designed to provide employees with a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and economic benefits of switching from gas-powered vehicles to EVs. The portal includes an intuitive, step-by-step process to help employees manage their EV transition while taking full advantage of all federal, state, and local EV adoption incentives available.
MoveEV’s software guides employees through the EV adoption process, from calculating the value of making the switch, to selecting the ideal EV model, monitoring supply, placing orders and arranging delivery, installing charging infrastructure, and filling out incentive paperwork. This platform provides a great opportunity for employees to learn more about the tangible benefits of transitioning to electric vehicles.
Climate-conscious initiatives have been at the forefront of the Easthampton community’s concerns since the City Council declared a climate emergency in 2021. In response to this declaration, there is an increased focus on pursuing sustainable initiatives such as the partnership between Easthampton and MoveEV. This partnership represents a tangible step towards reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainability in the community.
What I Like About This
Compared to just offering free charging, this program take a more holistic approach to EV charging as an employee benefit. By helping them not just get some electricity, but also get an EV, get access to incentives, and get a home charger going, employees who move on will still benefit from the program. They’re also more likely to stick with an EV if they’ve gotten into a solid ownership pattern.
Source: cleantechnica
