Question reference: S5W-35998
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 11 March 2021
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many electric car charging points there are in the Highlands and Islands, and how many will be required by 2032 to meet its emissions targets.
Answer
Within the Highlands and Islands area there are currently 129 electric vehicle charge points on the ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) network, which has been developed by Scottish Government, the majority of these are publicly available. However, it is worth noting that other charge point operators have networks in Scotland, and so the actual number of charge points will be higher.
Scottish Ministers have provided over £45m of funding to all of Scotland’s local authorities to help grow the CPS network. Our analysis indicates that, by late 2020 around 40% of chargers on the network were outside urban areas. Due to the wide range of factors that will influence and ultimately determine the number of chargers required across Scotland, it is not possible to define the number of chargers needed in the Highlands & Islands to deliver against emissions targets. Our focus will continue to be on working with the public and private sector to ensure that as coverage grows, all parts of Scotland continue to benefit from one of Europe’s most extensive charging networks.