Large Company Electric Car Schemes: Mixed Fleet Solutions
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For large organisations, diversifying your corporate car scheme can seem like a challenge. With growing ESG commitments, employee expectations, and government pressure to decarbonise, enterprise mobility has become more important.
However, transitioning a diverse workforce to all-electric vehicles (EVs) overnight isn’t always practical. Employee demographics, commuting patterns, and access to charging infrastructure vary. For this reason, many large employers are turning to mixed fleet solutions that offer fully electric and hybrid vehicles through their salary sacrifice car schemes.
This approach strikes a powerful balance, helping companies accelerate progress toward net zero while accommodating the diverse needs of their workforce. The result is a more inclusive, scalable, and sustainable strategy for your fleet!
Enterprise EV Adoption Challenges
Even with strong sustainability targets, many large organisations find the practical rollout of EV adoption more complex than they anticipate. Here are some of the key challenges that frequently emerge.
Employee Resistance Factors
Employees are at the heart of every successful salary sacrifice scheme - but they’re also the most common barrier. Some typical resistance points include:
Range anxiety: Drivers in rural areas or those who travel long distances may worry about charging infrastructure availability.
Habitual behaviours: Drivers used to petrol or diesel vehicles may perceive EVs as a risk or inconvenience.
Perceived complexity: Even simple questions, like “Where will I charge?” or “How long will it take?” can put people off if not addressed early.
Financial misunderstanding: Employees may not initially understand how electric car salary sacrifice schemes deliver savings through tax efficiencies.
Providing clarity, reassurance, and lived examples is crucial. Internal ambassadors and educational sessions are often more effective than top-down communications.
Geographical and Operational Diversity
Enterprise fleets often span hundreds or even thousands of drivers across the UK (and sometimes internationally). Urban employees with driveway charging can make the switch to electric relatively easily, whereas rural or field-based teams can face logistical barriers.
Geographical diversity also affects vehicle suitability. For example, employees covering regional territories or remote sites may still depend on combustion or hybrid technology while charging networks mature.
Meanwhile, operational diversity - from head office roles to field engineers - demands tailored solutions. The key is flexibility: designing a company car policy that recognises these differences without creating inequality or complexity.
Infrastructure and Policy Constraints
Charging access is still a significant barrier, especially for employees without off-street parking. While the UK’s public charging network is growing quickly, it’s still unevenly distributed. Employers can mitigate this by offering home charger installation support or workplace charging solutions.
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Organisations must also align their internal policies - travel expenses, reimbursement for electricity use, and company car eligibility - to avoid confusion or perceived unfairness. A strong internal policy framework makes sure there is consistency and compliance across departments.
Financial Risk and Employer Protection
One concern that frequently holds back large-scale EV schemes is financial risk. What happens if employees leave during their lease? The Electric Car Scheme's Complete Employer Protection eliminates this exposure entirely. Unlike other providers with exclusion periods or excess payments, our protection covers:
Resignations from 3 months into the lease.
Redundancy and dismissal immediately, with no waiting period.
Long-term sickness, family leave, or loss of licence immediately.
No caps, limits, or excess payments - even if the employee doesn't pay early termination fees or damage costs.
This comprehensive protection means your Finance and HR teams can confidently roll out an enterprise scheme without creating contingent liabilities on the balance sheet. Research shows that the majority of businesses see financial risk as a major concern when considering EV schemes, Complete Employer Protection removes that barrier entirely.
Change Management Complexities
Beyond infrastructure and policy, change management is the biggest differentiator between successful and struggling EV programmes.
Transitioning an entire organisation to new technology requires support from leadership, clear communication, and incremental delivery. The goal is to bring employees along for the journey, not simply impose change. As with any cultural transformation, visible champions and continuous feedback loops make all the difference.
The good news? You don't have to manage this transformation alone. The Electric Car Scheme takes care of the heavy lifting - from employee education to ongoing engagement. We provide ready-to-use resources, including webinars, drive days, email templates, and launch materials, so your team can focus on strategy while we handle the operational details.
The Benefits of a Mixed Fleet Strategy
Image source: Honda European Newsroom
Enter the mixed fleet salary sacrifice model: an approach designed to make sustainable driving more inclusive, flexible, and achievable for enterprises at scale.
Increasing Participation Rates
Data from large employers implementing mixed models show that introducing hybrid options can boost participation rates from 15–20% to as high as 40–50%. Why? Because it gives employees more choice! If they’re not ready to commute to a fully electric car, they can still join, saving on income tax, National Insurance, and Benefit-in-Kind tax while supporting corporate sustainability goals.
This inclusive approach increases engagement, reduces resistance, and creates a broader base of scheme advocates.
Reducing Implementation Resistance
A mixed fleet removes perceived barriers before they become obstacles. By offering a choice between EVs and hybrids, employers show understanding and flexibility - key ingredients for culture change.
Hybrid drivers often become the next wave of EV adopters. As they gain confidence with charging and range, many transition naturally to full electric vehicles in future scheme cycles.
Supporting Diverse Job Roles
Mixed fleet schemes work across industries because they accommodate varying mobility requirements. For example:
Sales teams who drive long distances can start with hybrids, while public charging expands.
Employees who live in urban areas can move straight to electric models, maximising cost and emissions savings.
Operational staff with variable schedules benefit from flexible vehicle options, reducing disruption to business continuity.
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A thoughtful segmentation strategy ensures every employee feels the scheme is “for them,” not just for those with easy access to chargers.
Enabling Transitional Pathways
Hybrids act as stepping stones, which is important for gradual cultural and operational change. Organisations can set clear timelines for when hybrid options will be phased out as infrastructure matures, ensuring both ambition and realism.
This approach creates a pathway to electric cars without forcing premature decisions, protecting employee satisfaction and operational stability.
Implementation Framework
Deploying an enterprise-level salary sacrifice scheme is as much about logistics and planning as it is about technology.
Pilot Programme Design
Start small, learn fast. A pilot allows employers to gather insights from a representative cross-section of employees - different regions, departments, and job levels. Key areas to assess include:
Uptake rate and interest levels.
Operational and policy barriers.
Employee sentiment and common concerns.
Charging access and infrastructure readiness.
Collecting feedback early allows organisations to refine processes before national rollout, minimising disruption and maximising participation.
Rollout Phase Planning
Once insights are gathered, structured rollout planning is essential. This involves:
Phased deployment: Rolling out by region, department, or vehicle band.
Stakeholder alignment: HR, Finance, and Sustainability teams working in sync to manage payroll, compliance, and reporting.
Communication alignment: Regular updates, clear FAQs, and visible leadership endorsement.
Phased rollout ensures both cultural and logistical challenges can be managed effectively at scale.
Employee Segmentation
Segmentation ensures fairness and efficiency. Common criteria include:
Mileage and usage: Distinguish between high-mileage roles and local commuters.
Access to charging: Prioritise EV options for those with home or workplace charging.
Job function: Match vehicle types to operational requirements.
Tailored communication for each segment drives higher participation and reduces confusion.
Success Metrics and ROI Definition
To sustain long-term support, organisations need data. Typical success metrics include:
Adoption rate (% of eligible employees participating).
CO₂ emissions reduction (per annum).
Average Benefit-in-Kind savings.
Employee satisfaction (via surveys).
Tracking and reporting on these metrics allows businesses to demonstrate clear ROI - not only in financial terms but also in employee engagement and environmental progress.
Implementing an enterprise scheme might sound complex, but the right provider makes it straightforward. At The Electric Car Scheme, we handle the operational and engagement elements that can be time-consuming internally.
Change Management Best Practices
Image source: BYD Media
A strong change management plan ensures that the shift to electric is embraced rather than resisted.
Communication Strategies
Transparency and clarity are key. Communications should be simple, jargon-free, and people-focused - explaining both benefits and processes. Use a mix of channels: intranet pages, Q&A sessions, internal newsletters, and webinars.
Messages should highlight choice, not obligation, reinforcing that the scheme is a benefit designed to make sustainable driving accessible to all.
Training and Education
Even the most confident drivers need support in understanding new technology. Offer short, engaging learning sessions on:
How to charge and plan journeys.
Maintenance and servicing differences between EVs and hybrids.
Champion Networks
Empower early adopters to share their experiences internally. Stories from colleagues often have more impact than corporate messages because they build credibility and provide a direct peer support channel for questions.
Feedback Mechanisms
Ongoing feedback ensures the scheme continues to evolve with employee needs. Regular surveys, open forums, and analytics tracking can highlight issues early. Demonstrating responsiveness builds trust and reinforces participation.
Case Studies and ROI Analysis
Large employers across retail, wellness, and financial services are already proving how The Electric Car Scheme can boost participation, reduce costs, and accelerate sustainability goals.
Holland & Barrett - Making Sustainability Accessible
With more than 800 stores and a long-standing commitment to environmental wellbeing, Holland & Barrett introduced an EV salary sacrifice scheme to help colleagues cut costs and emissions.
“Colleagues can lower their environmental impact while reducing their own motoring costs.”
- Richard Mason, Head of ESG at Holland & Barrett
Now offering both EV and hybrid options made the scheme accessible to employees with different travel needs, supporting Holland & Barrett’s mission to promote healthier, more sustainable lifestyles - inside and outside the business.
Dreams - Retail Leadership in Action
Founded in 1985, Dreams employs over 2,300 colleagues nationwide. As part of its pledge to the British Retail Consortium Climate Action Roadmap, the company introduced The Electric Car Scheme to support both sustainability and colleague engagement.
“Having an all-inclusive package that covers the car, term, servicing, breakdown, insurance, and a home charge point is truly excellent.”
- Abi Griffin, Head of Colleague Experience at Dreams
The scheme now plays a central role in its colleague engagement and Net Zero strategies.
XE.com - Empowering Change in Financial Services
XE.com, with 250 employees in the UK, launched The Electric Car Scheme to enhance its benefits offering and advance sustainability objectives.
“The partnership is a great incentive - helping our employees switch to electric and lessening our environmental impact.”
- Nigel Chambers, Chief of Staff at XE.com
ROI and ESG Outcomes
Across these organisations, results show clear, repeatable benefits:
Higher participation rates often doubled after hybrid options were introduced
Lower tax and National Insurance costs for both employer and employee
Improved engagement and retention through flexible, inclusive benefits
Measurable ESG impact, with real progress toward net-zero commitments
These examples show how salary sacrifice can turn sustainability ambition into measurable business value.
Participation Rate Improvements
Across multiple enterprise sectors, introducing hybrid options consistently improves adoption by two to three times. This also strengthens employee sentiment - staff view the organisation as progressive yet pragmatic.
Cost Savings Realisation
Salary sacrifice delivers measurable savings for both employers and employees. Employers benefit from lower National Insurance contributions, while employees enjoy income tax savings. Many organisations reinvest these savings into workplace charging infrastructure or sustainability initiatives, multiplying impact.
ESG and Reporting Impact
Sustainability isn’t just about optics; it’s a measurable contribution to corporate ESG frameworks. Mixed fleet solutions allow companies to report credible progress against Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions targets while maintaining operational continuity.
Including Hybrid cars gives employers a transitional route that speeds up aggregate emissions reduction - vital for meeting near-term ESG milestones.
The Scalable Path to Electrification
For large companies, the journey to net zero is a marathon, not a sprint. The success of an enterprise electric car scheme depends on understanding people, data, and infrastructure - not just technology.
A mixed fleet solution offers a realistic, inclusive, and scalable approach. This means meeting employees where they are today, while building towards a fully electric future. With the right combination of pilot design, communication strategy, and change management, enterprises can unlock the full potential of salary sacrifice: a benefit that reduces emissions, enhances retention, and futureproofs corporate mobility!
If you're considering how a mixed fleet salary sacrifice scheme could work for your business, our team is here to help. We'll walk you through participation projections, implementation timelines, and the full support package - from webinars and drive days to Complete Employer Protection and automated reporting.
Get in touch to start the conversation, or calculate potential savings using our quote tool.
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Last updated: 23/10/2025
Our pricing is based on data collected from The Electric Car Scheme quote tool. All final pricing is inclusive of VAT. All prices above are based on the following lease terms; 10,000 miles pa, 36 months, and are inclusive of Maintenance and Breakdown Cover. The Electric Car Scheme’s terms and conditions apply. All deals are subject to credit approval and availability. All deals are subject to excess mileage and damage charges. Prices are calculated based on the following tax saving assumptions; England & Wales, 40% tax rate. The above prices were calculated using a flat payment profile. The Electric Car Scheme Limited provides services for the administration of your salary sacrifice employee benefits. The Electric Car Scheme Holdings Limited is a member of the BVRLA (10608), is authorised and regulated by the FCA under FRN 968270, is an Appointed Representative of Marshall Management Services Ltd under FRN 667174, and is a credit broker and not a lender or insurance provider.
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