The Scottish government announced a £6.3 million funding initiative to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across Ayrshire and the Glasgow City Region, First Minister John Swinney revealed on Monday. The investment, part of Scotland’s broader £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund, is expected to add over 3,500 new public chargers.
“Today’s announcement is clear evidence of our commitment to making sustainable travel accessible for everyone in Scotland,” Swinney said. “By fast-tracking EV infrastructure, we’re paving the way for a net-zero Scotland while advancing our goal to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.”
Scotland has already achieved its target of 6,000 public EV charging points, surpassing projections set for 2026, with 6,007 chargers operational as of October 31. Zapmap COO Melanie Shufflebotham noted the rapid expansion since June, with a 49% increase in charge points, fueled by public-private partnerships.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop underscored the importance of private sector collaboration, highlighting IONITY’s role in scaling up Scotland’s EV charging network. “This approach is paying dividends – ensuring faster delivery and greater reliability of public charge points across the country,” Hyslop said.
The Scottish government has invested £65 million in public EV charging since 2011, achieving one of the UK’s highest ratios of charge points per capita outside of London.