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There can’t be a business out there that doesn’t want to achieve more by spending less. Being energy efficient is crucial to how most companies operate – but you might not have thought about how energy efficient your company car fleet is. Why are electric cars so popular? The world is changing, as more and more individuals (and businesses) are starting to think about the impact they are having on the environment, and the need to make their environmental footprint as small as possible. One way of doing this is switching from a conventional fleet of vehicles to electric vehicles –  after all, they not only offer your business a way to help the planet and improve your reputation – but you could also make significant cost savings as well. What are the advantages associated with having electric cars as company cars? There are numerous advantages for your company of having electric company cars, and these include: Less cost over the lifetime of the vehicle – huge cost savings on fuel + less or no road tax to pay = a much healthier bottom line Savings on Ultra Low Emission Zone and congestion charges – if your business is located in London And the savings don’t stop there, your employees will also be happy driving electric cars as: They can claim 4p per mile when driving the company car on the business Charging up their electric vehicle at work is also exempt from tax They will access significant road tax savings How much does it cost to run an electric car? All business owners need to know is that it is far cheaper for them to run a fleet of electric vehicles than it is standard vehicles – on both fuel costs and tax. You will also benefit from lower maintenance costs as well – as there will be no need for oil or air filter changes, or new fans, head gaskets, spark plugs, or timing belts. This is due to the fact that the battery is one working unit, as opposed to the dozen different working units you get in a normal combustion engine. What other costs do we need to think about? If you are moving over to a fleet of electric vehicles, you will probably want to think about installing charging points in your business’s car park. However, there is a Government grant available at the moment which is offering businesses money towards up to 20 charging points. Having electric charging points on-site can also help your reputation, as potential clients and suppliers can see your green credentials – as well as enticing them to stay longer on your site while they charge their car! At D-ENERGi, we are passionate about saving businesses money. This is why we offer an EV charging solution and an off-peak and GoElectric tariff. Please get in touch to find out more.

Electric cars are an eco-friendly alternative to diesel and petrol cars, but while electric car owners definitely save money at the fuel pumps, what effect does running an electric car have on your business energy bill? Electric vehicles (also known as EV’s) have grown massively in popularity in recent years, as the range available, and the performance has dramatically improved. However, sales of Plug-in electric vehicles still only account for around 3% of total vehicle sales in the UK, despite sales of fully electric vehicles growing by 61% from June 2018 to June 2019. The UK Government is currently working on a proposal to ban all diesel and petrol cars by 2035, however, so this is going to have a huge effect on sales as it will mean that the mainstream option for drivers in the future will be electric vehicles. Types of Electric Car Before deciding to switch your business car fleet to electric vehicles, you need to have an understanding of the different types of electric cars available. The most common types of an electric car are: Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). 100% battery-powered motor, sometimes known as all-electric, fully electric, or battery-only electric vehicles. You can usually expect about one to two hundred miles of driving per charge. Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). Run-on a combination of the battery-powered motor with a diesel or petrol engine as a back-up. A battery can run a car for up to 70 miles, with the internal combustion engine providing back-up power for longer journeys and higher speeds. Hybrid Electric Vehicles. A self-charging hybrid that powers the battery from the car’s own braking system, through a combination of electricity and fuel. They don’t need plugging in but they will need topping up with fuel. Should you buy electric cars for your business? Most people tend to associate electric cars with environmental benefits, but the costs benefits associated with them are just as impressive. For example, running costs for electric vehicles can be lower than diesel or petrol vehicles. Fully electric vehicles don’t require any fuel at all, and even plug-in hybrids use less fuel than a standard car. Fully electric cars are also exempt from paying road tax, the London congestion charge, and Ultra Low Emission Zone charges too. Aside from the lower running costs, there are also grants available which can help make the cost of owning an electric car much more palatable too. The cost of charging an electric car Whilst electric car owners save on fuel and tax, it is important to remember that they will have to consider the cost of charging. In a similar way to the cost of filling up with petrol or diesel, the cost of charging an electric vehicle will vary as well, and tends to depend on: The size of your car battery How much you pay per unit of electricity   D-ENERGi offers off-peak charging and a GoElectric Tariff, and you can also choose to spread the cost of a charger and standard installation over the length of your electricity agreement. To find out more, please get in touch.

Electric cars are growing in popularity, and are increasingly being seen as a viable mode of transport for drivers – not just those who are environmentally aware, or tech-savvy. In fact, electric cars can offer you a wealth of benefits – especially if you are thinking about investing in them for your business fleet. The benefits of electric vehicles are clear to many car manufacturers already, with over 20 manufacturers producing electric models already – and more and more planning to join in.  This means there is now a variety of choices when it comes to EV’s (electric vehicles) so whatever your budget or needs, leasing or purchasing an electric car is now more of an attractive proposition than it ever was. Yes, sometimes the upfront costs can be higher, but over the life of the lease, your business could benefit from major cost efficiencies, greater convenience, better performance, and less of an impact on the environment around us. The main benefits associated with electric cars are: Environmental benefits. Pure electric vehicles are built without an exhaust, so they, therefore, don’t emit any exhaust gases, which has a major effect on local air pollution – especially in noisy and congested cities Discounts on congestion charges. If your business is based in a “Clean Air Zone” area then you will be exempt from paying any congestion charges if your business car fleet is electric vehicles. The cost savings for your business could be enormous. If you are based in London, for example, you could save up to £2875 a year per car Lower running costs. One of the main advantages of running an electric car is that they are much cheaper to run than petrol or diesel cars. You may also benefit from free or low-cost charging at some workplaces or council-owned sites. If your car is pure electric then you also don’t have to pay road tax, while plug-in hybrids receive a £10 discount. Electric cars also tend to have fewer moving parts than petrol or diesel cars, and so maintenance and servicing tend to be cheaper. Government funding towards a charging point. At the moment, the UK government is offering a Workplace Charging Scheme which provides eligible businesses with a grant towards installing workplace charging points. Reduced company car tax on electric cars. During 2020/2021 there was zero tax on Benefit in Kind, and this will increase to 1% in 2021/2022 and 2% in 2022/2023. Capital allowances for businesses. Cars with C02 emissions of less than 50g/km are eligible for 100% first-year capital allowances, so you can deduct the cost of the entire car from your pre-tax profits.   To support the wide range of business owners who are now changing over to electric car business fleets, D-Energi are now offering EV charging points for business and home. If you’d like to find out more about that, and our off-peak charging & Go Electric tariff, please get in touch.

Getting a business energy quote before you renew is essential if you want to make sure you and your business are getting the best deal possible. Before you start this process, however, you need to make sure you are well prepared so that the quotes you receive are as accurate as possible. Here are our top tips to help you get the most out of your business energy quote: Know your current tariff. Unfortunately, most business owners we deal with don’t have a clue what their current business electricity or gas tariff is which makes it practically impossible to compare prices when it comes to getting a business gas or business electricity quote. Be prepared and dig out your last bill before you start so you can compare apples with apples. Be sure when your current contract ends. Most business energy suppliers are not great at letting you know when your contract is up, mainly because they want you to roll over into a new one without any hassle. Once you have a clear idea of the date your contract is up, and whether there is anything you need to do to let them know you are swapping, you will be in a much better position to start looking at quotes. Research potential suppliers. Most people, when getting energy quotes, tend to look at one or two of the top six suppliers. However, if you limit yourself to these you may be preventing yourself from getting the best deal for you. Using D-ENERGI to get your quote, means you can access deals from lots of different energy suppliers, including the smaller ones – and so find the contract that best aligns with your business needs more efficiently. Know your business electricity profile class. If you are wanting to get a business electricity quote on its own, then you will need to know your profile class which is based on your Peak Load Factor and usage. New and renewing customers who are currently in profile class 05 to 08 are now required to use half-hourly metering. Know your business gas and electricity supply numbers. Most energy supply companies will ask for these before they complete your quote as they want to make sure they are in good standing (and to ensure what you have told them is accurate). For a business gas quote, you will need your Meter Point Reference Number (MPR) from your last gas bill. For a business electricity quote, you will need a Metering Point Administration Number (MPAN) found next to the big S on your bill.   The top tip we can give you when getting business electricity or business gas quote is to get a lot of quotes so you know you are choosing the best one. And the best way to do that is to use D_ENERGI to search the market for you. Click on the big pink button at the top of the page to get your FREE quote now.

Money is tight for everyone at the moment, so no-one wants to be overpaying for business electricity. It may surprise you to learn, then, that many businesses are missing out on potential savings due to deemed energy contracts. What is a deemed energy contract? A deemed contract is the name of the contract that is put in place by the business electricity supplier when a business moves to a new premise and begins consuming electricity before they have agreed to a contract. Businesses may also move onto a deemed contract if their existing contract ends, and they continue to consume electricity. This can happen if a contract expires and the business hasn’t realised, or when the contract is terminated early (by either the business or the supplier). How much do deemed contracts cost? Deemed contracts tend to cost a lot more than tariffs that have been negotiated. For example, micro-businesses can end up paying 80% more on a deemed contract than on a negotiated contract. Research has shown that around 10% of micro-businesses are currently on deemed contracts, which means they are paying way more than they need to for their business electricity. What happens if you allow your contract to roll over? If you allow your business electricity contract to roll over, you will more than likely be placed onto a more expensive standard tariff – which can be 50% more expensive than negotiated contracts. You may also face an exit fee if you decide to switch early. If your business is reaching the end of its energy contract, it is vital that you compare the latest prices. Delaying taking action on this can leave you stuck on expensive rollover rates. What are your rights if you are on a deemed contract? If you discover you are on a deemed contract, then don’t worry, you still have the right to switch supplier without paying a fee. If you are on a deemed contract, your business electricity supplier cannot: • Ask you to give notice before terminating the contract • Charge you a termination fee • Prevent you from switching for any reason at any time Your electricity supplier must take all reasonable steps to provide you with the Principal Terms of your deemed contract if you request it – including all charges and fees. If you are on a deemed energy contract, you should compare business electricity rates and switch to a better contract as soon as possible.

Recent statistics released by Ofgem reveal that nearly 40% of SME’s haven’t tried to compare business energy supplier in over five years! This is a shocking statistic to us, as it means that a large proportion of businesses out there are probably paying over the odds for their electricity and gas – and there is no need for that! Comparing and switching suppliers with the help of D-ENERGI is such a simple task! Why might businesses be reluctant to switch energy supplier? We’ve talked to a lot of customers who want to compare business gas and electricity prices this year, and when we ask them why it’s taken them so long to decide to do so they say things like; “I haven’t had time” Time is one of our most valuable commodities – especially if you charge your customers by the hour. Your time is worth a lot, and you may think that it is more sensible for you to spend this valuable time doing things that will generate sales for your business, and therefore more profit for you. However, if you can spare us just ten minutes – yes, just ten minutes – we can take control of searching the market and finding the best quotes for you, potentially saving you hundreds of pounds in the process. “I don’t know how to do it” This is a poor excuse, as you don’t really have to do anything. Just fill in our quick quote form, and we will call you straight back with the best quotes on the market. It’s as simple as that! “I don’t really understand the prices” Some business owners are embarrassed that they don’t really understand what makes up their energy bill – but actually, it is quite common. We know all about ‘standing charges’ and ‘Kilowatts’ as we deal with them every day – but many people don’t have a clue what we are talking about. So, let’s explain: • Standing charges – the small amount per day you pay the supplier regardless of how much energy you use? This can be as much as 70p a day, which is a staggering £175 a year, so you want to make sure this is as low as possible. • KWh – this stands for Kilowatt per hour and usually, one unit on your meter will equate to one kWh. Again, prices for this will vary so it is best to shop around. “My business will suffer if my energy supply is disrupted” The team at D-ENERGi will take care of everything for you, so you won’t see any disruption in service when it comes to switching suppliers. So, what are you waiting for? If you want to compare business electricity or business gas, or both, just head over to our website and fill in our quick form today for a free, no-obligation quote.