DriveElectric’s salary sacrifice scheme for EDF’s SME customers now includes the option of a Pod Point home charger, a lower cost electricity tariff, and 5,000 miles of free electricity
• Savings of up to 40% are already possible on a new electric vehicle through the scheme
DriveElectric is lowering the cost of driving an electric vehicle (EV) even further by launching additional new cost-saving features to expand the benefits of its salary sacrifice scheme for EDF’s small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) business customers.
The salary sacrifice scheme can now include the option of a Pod Point home charger, a lower cost electricity tariff, and 5,000 miles of free electricity upon purchase. The scheme already offers savings of up to 40% on the cost of an electric vehicle.
The Pod Point 7kW Solo 3 home charger, which won the What Car? ‘Best Home EV Charger 2023’ award, can be included in the sacrifice offer from £14 per month1 including standard installation. The Solo 3 offers EV drivers the ability to charge their vehicles up to three times faster than a standard 3-pin plug while benefitting from the charger’s in-built safety features.
Customers can also benefit from lower cost electricity prices, by accessing Pod Point’s Exclusive EV tariff powered by EDF, that gives customers access to one of the cheapest tariffs in the UK for both their EV and their home. The zero carbon2 tariff offers customers an off-peak rate of 8.49p per kilowatt hour between the hours of midnight and 5am – during which drivers can schedule their EV to charge.
The Pod Point tariff, combined with a competitive daytime rate, provides customers with one of the cheapest overall EV tariffs based on typical usage. Pod Point’s charge scheduling function also allows drivers to take advantage of EDF’s off-peak EV domestic tariff. In addition, customers will receive 5,000 miles of free electricity3, via a credit into their EDF account.
Building upon its partnership with EDF, which started in 2019, DriveElectric now offers one of the widest selections of EV salary sacrifice deals to the energy supplier’s customers, with something for everyone, from compact city cars to large SUVs.
Salary sacrifice enables employees to save up to 40% on an electric vehicle by exchanging part of their salary; the gross amount sacrificed reduces the employee’s income tax and national insurance (NIC) liability, as well as the employer’s NIC liability.
Salary sacrifice is a cost-effective way for an employee to switch to a new EV, with zero upfront outlay, in addition to enjoying lower vehicle running costs. The scheme also helps employers to attract, reward and retain the best employees, and accelerate an organisation’s progress towards its net zero goals.
EDF business customers can search, select and order an EV entirely online – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – and businesses can control and oversee salary sacrifice electric vehicle leases using DriveElectric’s My Live EVs.
With EV expertise stretching back many years, DriveElectric has dedicated consultants to advise about electric cars, supported by tax and compliance specialists, and an on-call team to answer any questions. DriveElectric will also assist organisations to promote salary sacrifice schemes to employees, and can organise EV test drive events.
Examples of cost reductions offered by salary sacrifice compared to a personal lease for an employee include a £206 monthly saving on a new MG4 SE, or a £210 monthly saving on a new Kia Niro 2 Nav, for a 40% taxpayer.
Employees could additionally expect to save over 30 tonnes CO2 equivalent over the lifetime of the vehicle when switching from an ICE to a battery electric vehicle.4
Adam Kemp, Director of Partnerships, DriveElectric, says “Including an EV charger, an exclusive low cost and zero carbon electricity tariff, and 5,000 miles of free energy in our salary sacrifice scheme for EDF’s business customers now makes it an even more compelling offer. EVs have lower running costs than petrol and diesel cars anyway, and this new salary sacrifice package reduces these costs even further.”
Ashley Boaden, Head of Fleet and Homecharge, Pod Point added: “At Pod Point our mission is to make living with an EV easy and affordable for everyone. We’re delighted to extend our partnership with DriveElectric to make EVs even more accessible for EDF’s SME customers. And we’re really proud of our newly launched tariff which is offering affordable home charging for thousands of households across the country, while still providing a competitive peak rate.”
“At EDF, we are passionate about helping all our customers save cash and carbon” said Richard Hughes, Director of Retail at EDF. “By teaming up with DriveElectric and Pod Point, we are thrilled that the employees of our SME customers can now benefit from 5,000 free miles of electricity when they lease an EV through DriveElectric’s Salary Sacrifice package, giving them significant savings. This initiative continues our mission to support drivers in their journey towards electric motoring, helping them to reduce their carbon footprint, and help the nation reach Net Zero.”
DriveElectric is an electric vehicle leasing company that has been helping organisations and individuals to adopt EVs to save money, lower emissions and transition to low carbon energy since 2008. DriveElectric aims to make the switch to electric cars and vans simple for business fleets.