Scotland's Renewable Energy Blog

Another £4.2 milion available for EVs and charging points

Another £4.2m has been made available to encourage public bodies to use low carbon vehicles, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure & Capital Investment, Alex Neil announced yesterday.

Today’s funding announcement, which help towards Scotland’s target of cutting emissions by 42% by 2020, builds on over £4.3 million made available last year to local authorities who received funding to help to replace conventionally-powered vehicles with low carbon alternatives.

Mr Neil said:

“The Scottish Government has set world leading targets to cut emissions and tackle climate change, so it is vital that funding like this is made available to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles and help develop a network of charging points. This extra funding will allow local authorities and their community planning partners to bridge the gap between the cost of petrol or diesel powered vehicles and their electric powered equivalents, and help drive down air-polluting emissions.”

“We are determined to build on the good work carried out as a direct result of funding announced last year which has enabled Scotland’s public services to purchase 145 low carbon vehicles, including cars, vans and even street sweepers, and install 74 charging points across the country. This work will pave the way for the future uptake of electric vehicles amongst the general public.”

£4.2m has been provided this year to 32 community planning partnerships in Scotland with allocations based on levels of population in each local authority area. The funding can be used to fund the difference in cost between a conventionally powered vehicles and it’s electric equivalent. The Scheme covers most types of electric vehicles and plug in hybrids (cars, small vans, larger cans, sweepers and HGVs). Funding can also be used to install charging points to support the use of the electric vehicles purchased. These are being installed as part of the UK Government’s Plugged in Places Scheme, with Transport Scotland leading the project in Scotland.