Question reference: S6W-02326
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 18 August 2021
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Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 September 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent to date on infrastructure for electric vehicles, and how much it plans to spend in the next five years.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to support investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, both for plug-in battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Across a range of programmes, we have invested £90 million in infrastructure related to battery electric vehicles and over £12 million in hydrogen electric transport projects.
Investment in public charging infrastructure has enabled the development of the ChargePlace Scotland network, now one of the largest in the UK. Investment has also included schemes to support installation of business and domestic electric car chargers, infrastructure to enable decarbonisation of light and heavy vehicles in the public sector, and decarbonisation of buses used for public transport.
The Scottish Government has also committed £50 million towards the Scottish Zero-Emission Bus Challenge Fund, (ScotZEB) which is currently open for bids until 04 November 2021. This £50 million is allocated to both vehicles and infrastructure on a whole-project basis.
Future funding programmes have yet to be determined but the Scottish Government Infrastructure Investment Plan published in February 2021 committed to £120m investment for net zero electric buses and £287m from the Future Transport Fund to support a range of low and zero carbon transport initiatives between 21-22 and
25-26.
Please note that the answer above reflects spending across distinct Scottish Government programmes for which we are able to determine spend. Investment will also occur across portfolios as part of business as usual activity.