Over 1,000 EV charge points available in Scotland

More than 1,000 electric vehicle charge points are now available for use in Scotland.

18th August 2019 by Networks

Over 1,000 EV charge points available in Scotland

ChargePlace Scotland is the network of over 1,000 publicly available charge points funded by the Scottish Government through Transport Scotland.

The average distance between any given location to the nearest public charging point is just 2.78 miles in Scotland – compared to 3.77 miles in England.

ChargePlace Scotland will continue to develop and it was announced earlier this year that 800 more public charging points are planned through the Switched on Towns and Cities Challenge Fund and the Local Authority Installation Programme.

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson (pictured) made the announcement as he visited East Ayrshire Council’s first fully electric car park on Waterside Street in Kilmarnock. The council have received over half a million pounds in 2018/19 from the Scottish Government to support this project and others.

Mr Matheson said: “World-class charging infrastructure is critical in developing range confidence and encouraging people to make the switch to electric vehicles. At the same time, the continued development of our infrastructure sends a global message that Scotland is ready for a revolution in e-mobility.

“The uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles is central to our Energy Strategy, our Climate Change Plan and our goal of making Scotland’s air quality the best in Europe. It’s fantastic that Scotland now benefits from over 1,000 charge points including close to 200 50 kilowatt rapid chargers.

“I’m proud to make this announcement from Kilmarnock where East Ayrshire Council have recently opened their first electric car park. Every bay can support electric vehicle charging and this level of ambition supports our ambition to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032.”

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council said: “Within East Ayrshire we are investing in infrastructure for our own electric fleet vehicles and for the travelling public. The extensive programme will see charging points being installed in over 20 locations, ensuring that electric vehicles become a clear choice for consumers.

“Improving infrastructure and connectivity in East Ayrshire will help to extend economic opportunity, attracting new investment to protect existing jobs and creating new employment opportunities.”