Electric car-charging target delay

author: FutureCar Staff    

The Scottish Government's target to install 30,000 electric car-charging stations could be missed by 12 years, according to analysis by the Tories. This delay has prompted calls for Scottish ministers to follow the Prime Minister's lead on net-zero targets. Rishi Sunak's decision to postpone the ban on new petrol and diesel cars until 2035 has been criticized by First Minister Humza Yousaf, who believes it puts Scotland's net-zero target for 2045 at risk.

ChargePlace Scotland, the charging network owned by the Scottish Government, reported that 169 chargers were added between October 2022 and August 2023. However, earlier figures from the Scottish Government stated that there were nearly 4,000 charging stations in Scotland as of June 2023. Despite this, ministers have acknowledged that 30,000 charging points will be necessary to meet the expected increase in demand for electric vehicle charging.

Analysis by the Scottish Tories indicates that the government is far from reaching this target, with only around 1,900 charging points installed between January 2022 and 2023. The Tories suggest that at the current pace, it could take until 2042 for ministers to reach the goal. This slow progress is indicative of the SNP/Green Government's poor track record on environmental targets.

The Tories have emphasized that over 4,000 charging points need to be installed every year to meet the target by 2030. However, the current pace suggests that the government will miss this by at least 12 years. They argue that urgent action is needed, particularly in rural areas where the infrastructure for electric vehicles is lacking. The Tories also highlight the need for the SNP/Green ministers to adopt a common-sense approach to meet climate targets and gain public support.

In response, a spokesperson for Transport Scotland stated that the Scottish Government is assessing the implications of the UK Government's decision to delay the ban on petrol and diesel cars. They highlighted the Scottish Government's investment in the ChargePlace Scotland network, which has resulted in Scotland having the highest number of rapid or ultra-rapid charge points per capita outside of London. The spokesperson also mentioned the funding of over 2,600 charge points on the public network, as well as the installation of over 20,000 home and workplace charge points. They emphasized the need for increased investment in the public network and the involvement of the private sector to meet climate change targets.

The spokesperson further mentioned the EV Infrastructure Fund, which aims to leverage £60 million of public and private investment to expand the network to 6,000 charge points by 2026. They stated that the ChargePlace Scotland network will play a crucial role in this transition, as part of a public charging network largely financed and delivered by the private sector. This aligns with the EV Vision published by the Scottish Government in June, which outlines the ideal public charging offer for cars and vans.

FutureCar Staff