When the government announced its 2025 Budget and confirmed that EVs will transition onto a mileage-based tax from 2028, most of the conversation naturally centred on drivers. But at Connekt, we see a different (and far more positive) angle emerging. While the headlines focused on costs, the real opportunity sits with the businesses that host EV chargers.

As EV ownership grows and home charging isn’t realistic for everyone - workplaces, retail destinations, hospitality venues and leisure sites will play an even more important role in keeping the UK moving. And the Budget only accelerates that shift.

The result is simple: businesses are about to become even more valuable within the EV ecosystem.

Public Charging Is Moving Into Everyday Life

For years, EV adoption has been driven by those with driveways and access to cheap home electricity. But as EVs become mainstream, more people rely on public and workplace charging, and that dependency will only increase as drivers look for fair, predictable places to top up.

That’s where businesses come in. Charging no longer happens “on the way” somewhere. It happens while people are doing the things they already want to do: meeting friends for coffee, shopping, going to the gym, staying in a hotel or sitting at their desk during the workday.

The 2025 Budget nudges even more drivers into that behaviour. Rather than relying on home charging, people will increasingly gravitate towards the places that make charging simple, affordable and convenient. Businesses that can offer this become part of a driver’s weekly routine - not an occasional stop, but a consistent, reliable destination.

Charging Is the New Competitive Advantage

We see this every day across Connekt supported sites: EV drivers choose where to shop, dine, work out or stay based on whether charging is available. And as the cost of driving becomes a little more sensitive, that decision-making becomes even more deliberate.

Charging isn’t the main reason someone visits, but it often becomes the deciding factor, and that gives any forward-thinking business a clear competitive edge.

The Budget simply reinforces this behaviour. Drivers want value. They want predictability. And they want to charge somewhere that fits into their life. Businesses who host chargers benefit directly from that shift in priorities.

How Connekt is Here to Help You Lead the Charge

At Connekt, we see the Budget as a catalyst rather than a complication. It highlights the importance of accessible, reliable and fairly priced public charging - and businesses are perfectly positioned to deliver exactly that.

Our EV charging software helps hosts keep charging simple and dependable, giving them the tools to manage pricing, optimise energy use and provide an experience that keeps people coming back. We make EV charging easy to offer, easy to scale and easy to maintain, so businesses can focus on what matters most: welcoming customers and supporting employees.

As the UK transitions into this next phase of EV adoption, businesses that invest now won’t just be adding a service - they’ll be stepping into a central role in the country’s charging future.

Click here for more information on how the eVED will work.

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