If you have workplace parking spots and want to...

Align your parking with a flexible working culture

We’re excited to announce our partnership with 

HRW Electrical is an experienced EV charger installation company, which has been operating in the EV industry for more than three years and won various awards, including Best EV Installer in the United Kingdom.

Chris Perkin from HRW Electrical says that the demand for EV charger installation in the UK has grown massively in a short period of time due to changes in legislation, the introduction of new sustainability-focused grants and tax breaks, and firms looking to promote corporate environmental responsibility.

Despite the high demand for EV chargers, their clients - typically small to medium-sized businesses - experience various management challenges once EV chargers are installed.

“As the number of EV vehicles in usage grows, through both company investment in fleets and increased popularity amongst employees, the management complexities and challenges also grow.”

- Chris Perkin, Service Manager at HRW Electrical

Now, HRW Electrical has partnered with Parkable to offer EV charger management software to any clients experiencing these challenges.

“Combining our hardware installation and service expertise with Parkable’s EV charger and car park management software provides my customers with the complete solution for workplace charging.

“Parkable provides a platform for managing and monetising EV charge points, which solves the complex problems many of our clients were having.”

HRW Electrical instals various EV charger types, including CTEK, Rolec, Keba and Andersen. If you’re a UK business interested in installing EV chargers for your fleet vehicles or staff, 

HRW Electrical team

Parkable partners with HRW Electrical to provide complete EV charging solution for UK workplaces 

Businesses can manage, monetise, and share EV chargers with Parkable

Over the past six months, our dev team has been hard at work adding a new product to the Parkable platform. We’ve always believed that electric vehicles have an important part to play in the future of mobility, and know that the headaches associated with EV charger management can prevent companies from installing them.

That’s why we developed an EV charger management solution - to make electric vehicle charging simple and transparent for both EV drivers and administrators.

What’s the problem with managing EV chargers?

For businesses and administrators, EV chargers can pose a complex management problem. How can they track charger usage? Can they prevent non-EVs from parking in the charger spots without time-intensive monitoring? What’s the easiest and fairest way to charge staff and visitors for charging their EV? How can they make it easier for EV drivers to book a charger, so they don’t show up frustrated with a low battery and nowhere to charge?

These difficulties can make EV chargers seem like more hassle than they’re worth.

Luckily, Parkable’s EV charger management system removes all of those admin headaches.

What does great EV charger management look like?

Parkable’s EV charger management software makes it easy for organisations to monitor, manage and monetise their EV chargers.

 Give EV charger access to private groups of staff, visitors, or even the public through Parkable’s award-winning app. Provide free charging for guests or monetise your chargers for extra revenue.

 View real-time usage of all EV chargers on our simple admin panel. Receive customisable reports for an accurate view of how chargers are used over time for more informed decision-making.

 EV drivers pay for their exact kW h usage via the Parkable app, and EV charger providers are sent automatic monthly payments.

 Parkable's EV charging software supports all OCPP 1.6J-compliant smart chargers. You can customise permissions based on workplace and public availability, manage electrical load, and set and update charging rates and tariffs based on API or demand. Integrate Parkable with pre-installed smart chargers, or 

 and we'll help you find the best chargers for you.

Interested in installing EV chargers or improving your management? 

We think that EVs have an important part to play in the future of mobility, and know that headaches associated with EV charger management can prevent companies from installing them. That’s why we developed an EV charger management solution.

EV charger management

Product release: Parkable now manages EV chargers

Autonomous vehicles, electrified transport, and Artificial Intelligence

2019 saw the mad rise of e-scooters, new EV models being released by car manufacturers, more cities investing in electric buses, and local and national governments restricting the use of diesel vehicles in cities.

At the same time, the transport sector is still the 

 of greenhouse gases, with sustainable transport held back by a lack of affordable EV options, slow charger network growth, unsustainable electricity generation, and gaps in public transport. There are also 

 about how electricity grids, cities, and businesses will cope with EV charging demands, which are only starting to be addressed.

How will these trends develop in 2020 as new technology emerges, EV costs drop, and markets mature? Here are our six top trends to look out for.

For those putting off the swap to an electric car because of limited options, the next few years will change the landscape of the car market dramatically. A 2019 

 estimated that the car manufacturing industry will be spending $US255 billion per year on developing new electric vehicles by 2023.

One result of this is that by 2022, car manufacturers will release another 207 electric vehicle models to the market, giving people 

 from the likes of Volkswagen, Honda, BMW, Volvo, and Fiat Chrysler. As the EV market matures, more affordable second-hand EVs will also become available to consumers.

A few related and important trends to follow:

Watch out for research developments in how to 

 the spent lithium ion batteries used in EVs. The current options are either prohibitively expensive or environmentally damaging, so labs around the world are hastily looking for solutions.

In 2020, there should be a focus on ensuring that the energy used to fuel EVs is clean. A few interesting initiatives have already cropped up, including 

 to powering its fast charging network with renewable energy, and 

Large diesel vehicles, particularly delivery trucks, will experience a shift toward electrification in 2020. On the supply side, both Volvo and Daimler plan to start selling electric trucks this year, with demand coming from companies including UPS, FedEx, DHL and IKEA. In 2019, Amazon alone announced that it was buying 100,000 electric delivery vans.

This is being driven in part by policy changes; cities around Europe are 

 diesel vehicles in urban centres, putting pressure on the production of truck alternatives, while in California the 

 will require automakers to sell more electric trucks. While there are powerful environmental reasons behind this, there is also a push due to the health problems linked to vehicle pollution, particularly for disadvantaged communities.

3. Electric school buses and ‘vehicle-to-grid’

Another large vehicle that could start to see some electrification in 2020 - the school bus. Unlike delivery trucks and other large vehicles that are constantly on the move, school buses are only driven for a small portion of each day, and sit dormant during holidays and weekends. This makes them the ideal large vehicle for 

, as their huge battery packs can be used as stationary electricity storage.

The benefit? The energy stored in school buses can then be used by the grid at peak times, and fewer power plants need to be turned on or created. In 2019 Dominion Energy 

 a plan to deploy over 1000 electric school buses in Virginia by 2024. If successful, the project could encourage more companies to begin thinking seriously about vehicle-to-grid opportunities.

 are also seeing growth in the US, and are already the norm in China, which has 420,000 e-buses on its roads.

This year could bring the emergence of autonomous vehicle technology in public transport, with projects being undertaken in both the US and the EU. While autonomous shuttles have been widely piloted, autonomous public transport with fixed routes in urban environments are just beginning to be tested.

 in Providence, Rhode Island, is an autonomous shuttle bus with 12 stops between Providence Station and Olneyville Square, and has given over 33,000 trips since its initiation in May 2019.

 (Future Automated Bus Urban Level Operation Systems) project taking place in six EU cities is focusing on R&D for “the prototyping and testing of smart systems that are capable of operating a fleet of self-driving minibuses in urban environments.”

The aim of these projects is to make cities more livable by filling gaps in public transport, and to make carless lifestyles increasingly agile and efficient.

As high-quality customer experience becomes increasingly important, the transport industry may look to new AI technology and digital assistants as a customer service solution. AI companies like 

 are already creating ‘digital humans’ for a range of industries, including a customer service AI called 

However, the trend isn’t limited to high-end vehicle manufacturers; Transport for London has come out with 

, an automated chatbot which can answer questions about the status of specific Tube, rail, and bus routes. While TravelBot isn’t as advanced as Sophie (and doesn’t have a human face), this is a step away from traditional journey planning and toward a high-tech, customer-driven era in public transport.

6. E-scooters stabilising and becoming the norm

 involving city-wide bans and fierce debate, in 2020 e-scooters are becoming the new normal. As a 

 transport option, an eco-friendly alternative to driving (especially when each car has only one passenger), and a tool to reduce city congestion, governments are seeing the benefits and working to improve their safety and create updated regulations.

2020 should see e-scooters settling into the mainstream, and they’ll undoubtedly become even more popular over the next 10 months.

How to manage EV chargers once they’re in place

For cities and businesses installing EV chargers, management tools like Parkable that organise payment, booking, and monitoring of chargers will become the norm. For EV drivers, this will mean more seamless charging experiences, while for administrators, it means that new technology won’t create extra work. Learn more about EV charger management 

How will transport trends develop in 2020 as new technology emerges, EV costs drop, and markets mature? Here are our six top trends to look out for.


Transport trends

6 transport trends to watch in 2020

Here are our top tips for installing and managing EV chargers

See how your business stacks up when it comes to sustainability, 

Uptake of electric vehicles is surging around the world, with 

 passenger EVs sold globally by March 2019 and sales gathering increasing momentum. Both New Zealand and Australia have ambitious EV targets, and in 2018 both countries experienced their highest EV sales to date. If you haven’t already installed EV charging stations at your car park, this is a great time to future-proof your space and consider how to manage their use.

But where to start? Parkable has partnered with EV Power in China to provide connected EV chargers for parkers, and we’ve 

 about the workings of EV chargers in the process. Here are our top tips for installing and managing them:

When is the best time to install EV chargers?

The ideal time to install EV chargers is during a car park renovation or construction. However, existing car parks can also install chargers.

Where in the car park should chargers be stationed?

EV chargers are weather-proof, so they can be installed indoors or outside.

If possible, station EV chargers against the wall, as this is more cost-effective than on a pedestal. The shorter the distance between charger and switchboard, the better.

Station chargers in areas with less foot traffic, so the cables don’t cause a hazard to pedestrians.

The most efficient placement is centred between two parking bays, so two cars can use the charger at once.

What’s the best way to roll out charger infrastructure?

 recommends installing cabling for between 20% and 50% of your parking bays, then installing one or two chargers and increasing the number as demand grows. With the cabling already in place, increasing your number of chargers is easy, and you only increase your installation costs when demand requires it.

What type of EV charger should I install? Fast or slow?

It’s best to consider a mix of slow (7 kW) and fast (22 kW) EV chargers, taking into account the electrical capabilities of your car park. A 22kW charger should be installed close to a transformer that can handle 50kW easily (the typical residential property can only handle 14kW).

7 kW chargers spread the charge load over a longer time period, and as charging takes 6-12 hours with these chargers there is no need for people to swap parking bays after charging. They are also far more cost-effective.

However, a small number of 22 kW chargers can be useful for those who do a lot of driving during the day and need to charge quickly, such as sales reps or delivery fleets. The cost of a 22kW charger, including installation, is approximately NZ$2,000, so it also depends on demand at your car park.

Once EV chargers are in place, one of the problems that facilities managers confront is how to manage the use of those chargers. This includes management of payments, length of stay in charger bays, availability, and ensuring that only EVs are parking in that space - a 

 also faced by EV drivers and Auckland Council. 

 provides a complete management service, including:

Showing users charger availability in real time

Allowing people to pay for charging via their phone

Alerting people when their car is fully charged

Preventing non-EVs from parking in charging bays through IoT bay barriers


To find out more about managing EV chargers through connected technology, 

Uptake of EVs is surging around the world, with five million passenger EVs sold globally by March 2019. If you haven’t already installed EV charging stations, now is a great time. Here are our tips for installing and managing them.

Installing EV chargers

The future of parking: Installing EV chargers

Pair Parkable's EV charger software with EV charger hardware

Get an edge on the competition by partnering with Parkable, an award-winning software company now offering EV charger payments and management.

Clip the ticket whenever someone charges their EV

Parkable’s software supports all OCPP 1.6J-compliant smart chargers

Provide a better product to clients - sell your charger hardware while also solving the issue of payment and management

What does Parkable’s EV software offer your clients?

 EV drivers pay for their exact kW h usage via the award-winning Parkable app, solving the problem of charger payments for organisations.

 Organisations can give EV charger access to private groups of staff, visitors, or even the public through Parkable’s app.

 Administrators can view real-time usage of all EV chargers on Parkable’s simple admin panel and receive customisable reports for an accurate view of how chargers are used over time for more informed decision-making.

If you’re an electrician or EV charger installer and are interested in learning more, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to contact us below for more information or a quick chat!

Calling all electricians and EV charger installers! Get an edge on the competition by pairing smart EV chargers with Parkable's EV charger software. Offer easy payments and management to your clients.

EV charging

Electricians, bring more value to clients when installing EV chargers

Parkable CEO Toby Littin talks the future of EV charging

Parkable launched new technology in Shanghai in May 2019, providing a management solution for EV chargers in commercial car parks. As car park owners increasingly embrace electric vehicles by 

, problems with management have arisen. These include how payments should be made, how to control length of stay, and how to ensure that only EVs use parking spaces with EV chargers. We interviewed Parkable CEO Toby Littin about how the platform’s new tech is solving these issues, and why he believes EVs are the future.

Wyoming Paul: Hi Toby, thanks for taking the time to speak with me. My first question is, why is Parkable pursuing EV charging connectivity?

Toby Littin: "We see EVs as an important part of our future, not just for Parkable, but for every country, every economy, and every society. Current gasolene vehicles are not sustainable, and are causing all kinds of damage. We believe in a sustainable future.

"Not only do our values align with supporting EVs, but we also see a real economic driver as well. The market has grown really quickly, with China accounting for 60% of global EV sales and production last year, which is why we launched this technology in Shanghai. However, there are some really specific parking challenges related to EV charging. Parkable can help to create a better experience for EV drivers and owners, and by making EVs more usable, we hope to assist better uptake and utilisation."

WP: What kinds of problems are there with EV chargers?

TL: "There’s a real problem with non-EVs parking in EV spaces. This happens because either the car park is really full or because EV parking spaces might be a little more preferable - closer to the entry or exit of the building, a bit better lit, sometimes they’re a little bit wider. For that reason we see that, even when there are heaps of parking spaces available, there are non-EV cars taking those spaces. That means that EV drivers can’t charge their cars, and that can be the difference between getting home comfortably at the end of the day or really struggling because your EV doesn’t have enough charge.

"Another problem is that when gasolene vehicles park in EV spaces, the EV charger owners, who 

 in order to generate revenue from them, aren’t having their chargers used and so aren’t getting any revenue. Our system protects the revenue stream for them, which makes sure that the economic use case stands up for companies that want to expand the EV charging network."

WP: How does Parkable’s EV charging technology solve these problems?

 allows drivers to reserve EV charging bays in advance. We use a bay lock so that when a park is reserved, a little bay arm pops up that will only allow the person who reserved the bay to park there. This ensures that there’s an EV charger available when they arrive, and they can get the charge that they need to get home.

"We also enable a more premium parking experience. As well as getting the certainty of the park, we also provide payment-by-phone, facilitate loyalty point systems, and alert people when their EV is fully charged so they know when to move their car. This is also a really useful tool for EV charger owners in optimising charger use; by making sure that when an EV is fully charged it can be moved, you enable the next EV to charge up.

"Parkable also gathers data that can be really useful. When it comes to EV charging, smart data helps you to understand fleet optimisation, it helps you to understand charger optimisation, it helps you to understand time of use, and that helps you to make better fleet and fleet management choices. All in all, it’s better for EV drivers, it’s better for charger providers, and it’s better for any car park owners or businesses looking toward the future of transport."

Parkable provides a complete EV charger management service, including:

Showing people charger availability in real time

Preventing non-EVs from parking in charging bays through IoT bay barriers

To learn more about how Parkable’s EV charger connectivity can help you, contact us by 

Parkable launched new technology for managing EV chargers in commercial car parks. We interviewed CEO Toby Littin about how the platform solves EV charger issues, and why he thinks EVs are the future.

Technology solves problems with EV charging

How new tech solves EV charger problems

Successfully installing electric vehicle chargers for your staff, visitors, or the public

Sustainability is increasingly a priority for businesses. As companies try to reduce their carbon footprints, attention has turned to how employees commute to work: the majority of workers drive to work alone, and road-based travel contributes to 35.7% of greenhouse gas emissions in 

, an appealing and practical option for many companies is to install electric vehicle chargers at the workplace. Not only does this support EV uptake and the move away from combustion engines, but it also provides a highly valued perk to employees.

Here we take you through everything you need to know about implementing EV charging at the workplace, from the benefits to all the big questions to consider.

The benefits of providing EV charging at work

Companies may have a variety of reasons for installing EV chargers, from satisfying employee needs to actioning a company sustainability plan to attracting new customers to their doors. Here are a few of the up-sides to consider:

 For electric vehicle drivers, the option to charge at work is a huge perk that can help you to attract new talent and retain existing employees. Not only are you providing something that benefits your team, but you’re also demonstrating your commitment to them and the environment, which can instill a stronger sense of loyalty.

 Many businesses are wanting to become more eco-friendly, and installing EV chargers is a great step to encouraging greener commutes from your staff. Plus, by making EV charging easily available at work, you’re encouraging and enabling more people in your team to shift to an EV.

 You can choose to make EV charging free for staff and visitors, or monetise charging to generate extra revenue from the car park. If you’re in retail or hospitality, providing public EV charging is also a fantastic way to attract new customers to your business.

Once you’ve decided that installing EV chargers at work ticks enough of your benefit boxes, there are some decisions to make...

The big decisions: Choosing the right EV chargers for your workplace

There are a number of questions to answer before installing EV chargers. Keep reading to find out all of the aspects to consider, or click through for a specific answer.

Do I need fast chargers, or are medium or slow chargers suitable?

Where in the car park should EV chargers be located?

How do I make sure that only EVs use the charger car parks?

Should I charge my staff and visitors for charging their EVs?

What rate should I set for EV charging, and how can I collect payments?

What’s the best way to manage the chargers?

When deciding how many EV chargers to install, there are a number of important factors: your budget, the number of parking spots you have, and the number of electric vehicles that would be charging. Your budget and physical space are typically set, but the number of EVs depends on a few considerations.

First, who do you want to use the charging stations? You may want to limit their use to company electric vehicles, offer them to all members of staff, or make them available to the public for a casual use fee.

If you’re making chargers available to staff, a survey of your team is an important step. Ask everyone if they have an EV already, whether they’re thinking of purchasing one in the next few years, and how often they would want to charge at work. Once you take into account your staff needs, electric fleet vehicles, and any chargers that you want to make available to the public, you should have a good sense of how many EV chargers you’ll need.

It’s also a good idea to make additional parking spots ‘EV ready’ by putting the wiring in place, so if you expand the number of EV charging spots in the future, much of the work is already done.

Like many EV charger decisions, the type of charger you choose depends largely on your budget, electric capacity, and the type of people who will use the chargers.

Firstly, there’s the cost. Installation prices vary depending on the distance between the electric main board and the charging station, but the type of charger is the most significant cost variant. Installing a two-vehicle fast charger costs upwards of $100,000, whereas a 7kW or 22kW charger that accommodates two vehicles will typically be one tenth of that price.

Another consideration is your building’s electric capacity. It’s a quick job for an electrician to check what your electric capacity is, and inform you of how many 7kW, 22kW or 150kW chargers you can install without requiring additional power like a mains power upgrade or solar panels.

As well as cost and capacity, much of the decision depends on who will be using your EV chargers and how quickly they need to recharge. Fast chargers are seen as the gold standard, and they’re often the right choice for businesses with a mobile sales force, electric fleet vehicles that are constantly on the move, or a plan to use EV chargers to attract short-visit customers.

However for many organisations, fast chargers aren’t necessary or even preferable. If you want to install chargers for staff who spend most of the day at the office, there’s no real downside to charging throughout the day at a slow charger, as their vehicles will be parked all day anyway. In fact, in these cases using fast chargers can be an issue, as it means that employees need to be available to move their vehicles when they finish charging, disrupting their work.

Tip: If you choose smart EV chargers with load balancing, you could have an electric capacity of 50kW and three 22kW chargers, and still allow three vehicles to charge simultaneously.

In deciding where to place your EV chargers, you’ll need to balance a few considerations. You may want your EV chargers to be in the VIP parking spots close to the building as an extra perk, or for them to be easily seen from the entrance to display your green credentials. If your chargers are open to the public or visitors, making them easy to find is also important.

However, there’s also the practical and logistical side, which is that the closer your EV charging stations are to your electric mains board, the less digging or cabling is required and the cheaper your installation will be. Because of this, you may need to compromise on location to find a spot that’s both cost-effective and suitable.

One issue that EV charge providers face is ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles using the EV car parks. This detracts from many of the benefits that you’re trying to achieve - perks for EV drivers, encouraging greener commutes - and if you’re monetising your chargers, it means missing out on revenue.

However, there are a few things you can do. One is implementing Parkable’s EV charger management software, which tracks which chargers are in use and allows EV drivers to quickly report instances of ICE vehicles parking in the EV spots. This makes it easy for administrators or facilities managers to monitor the EV chargers and be alerted to problems without manual checking.

Clear sign-posting is another part of the solution. Signs should be installed at eye-level, and there should also be markings on the ground. One tip is to use wording like ‘EV charging only’ rather than ‘EVs only’, to make it clear that the car parks are for electric vehicle charging, not EVs needing to park.

One question that many workplaces have is whether they can install EV chargers in a leased car park. While landlord permission is needed, often rental contracts have clauses allowing for improvements to the property. When the installation of EV chargers is framed as a property improvement, landlords are generally amenable to the suggestion.

Should I charge staff and visitors for charging their EV?

In some instances, deciding whether to provide free or paid EV charging is simple. If your EV chargers are used by company fleet vehicles, it makes sense that charging should be a business cost. If you’re in hospitality or retail, you may also want to provide free charging to attract new customers to your business. On the other hand, commercial properties wanting to generate extra revenue from the car park will want to charge a fee for both parking and EV charging.

But what about your staff? Should EV charging be a free perk, should staff pay for the cost of electricity, or do you want to recoup the costs of the EV chargers by making a profit?

This will depend on your reasons for installing the chargers, as well as whether regular parking at your workplace is free or paid. If you’re motivated by increasing EV uptake among your team, offering free charging at the workplace could be a great incentive. However, the cost of charging an EV is still very low compared to buying petrol or diesel, so setting a usage fee shouldn’t put off your staff either.

If staff usually pay to park onsite at work or if parking is a scarce commodity, you can also incentivise EV uptake by making the cost of parking and charging equal or lower to that of parking an ICE vehicle, or by giving EV drivers (even those not charging their vehicle) priority in the car park.

Generally, EV charging fees are based on either electricity usage, time plugged in, or both. However, if you have a few different types of drivers using your EV chargers - your staff, your fleet drivers, VIP visitors, the public - you may want to charge different rates.

Parkable’s EV charger software allows drivers to easily pay for charging based on kWh, time or a combination of the two, and allows organisations to provide free charging for some drivers while setting a fee for others.

If your EV chargers are for internal use only, it may be possible for staff to manage their use and track availability through group chats on platforms like WhatsApp, 

 are another option, allowing staff to book a charger when they think they’ll need one. However, these platforms have several limitations as their intended use is broad, rather than specific to workplace EV charger management.

Another option is to use built-for-purpose EV charger management software. Parkable’s award-winning app and admin panel make it simple for drivers to check charger availability from their phones and keep track of their EV while it’s charging.

Administrators and facilities managers use the Parkable admin panel to see who is charging, monitor stations remotely, adjust charging fees to keep stations in use and get a sense of how demand is changing over time. Plus, because Parkable’s software integrates with EV chargers, drivers can only begin a charging session by using the app, which prevents people from charging without payment.

Interested in implementing EV charging at your workplace?

 - we partner with high-quality EV charger installers to provide a complete software and hardware package for staff, visitor, and public EV charging.

As electric vehicles become more common, workplaces are installing EV chargers for their staff and visitors. Here's our ultimate guide of everything you need to consider for successfully implementing EV charging at the workplace.

Parkable partners with HRW Electrical to provide complete EV charging solution for UK workplaces

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