Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund

Investment in Scotland’s Public EV Charging Network

Since 2011, the Scottish Government has invested over £65 million in Scotland’s public charging network. The Scottish Government funded ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) was established over a decade ago and has acted as an important early catalyst for the development of public EV charging infrastructure in Scotland. This resulted in the creation of an extensive public charging network across Scotland, including across our rural and island communities.

The CPS network has achieved its original objective of stimulating the early growth of public EV charging and promoting early adopters to make the switch to EV. To increase the pace and scale of the expansion of public EV charging infrastructure it is now necessary to transition away from the publicly subsidised, CPS-focussed delivery model. We now expect the private sector to increasingly take on responsibility for investing in and operating the public charging network across Scotland.

The £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund was announced in 2022 and is part of our approach to supporting a move towards a public charging network in Scotland that is financed and operated by the private sector.

Stirling EV Charging Hub – funded as part of Transport Scotland’s Low Carbon Travel and Transport Fund

The EV Infrastructure Fund is supporting the expansion of what is already one of the most comprehensive public charging networks in the UK. As a result of public funding and increasing private sector investment, Scotland met its target for 6,000 public charge points in October 2024, two years ahead of the 2026 target.

A Vision for Scotland’s Public EV Charging Network

In June 2023, the Scottish Government published its Vision for Scotland’s public charging network, signalling a shift away from an investment and operating model that is led by the public sector.

The EV Infrastructure Fund has been designed to support delivery of the Vision by supporting local authorities to develop public EV charging strategies that reflect the Vision’s ambition and themes. EV Infrastructure Fund projects will include actions that support the Vision and help to make sure the public EV charging network meets local needs now and into the future.

In December 2024, Transport Scotland published a consultation on our draft Vision Implementation Plan. The draft Vision Implementation Plan outlines the key actions that will deliver the Vision, developed in consultation with stakeholders it is a forward looking document that identifies 15 actions to be taken forward to achieve Scotland's Vision for public EV charging.

The EV Infrastructure Fund

The £30 million Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund was launched in 2022 to enable Scottish local authorities to work with the private sector and continue to deliver strategic investment in EV charging networks across Scotland. The fund supports our Vision and is part of Scottish Government's approach to delivering a high-quality public EV charging network across all of Scotland. Importantly, projects supported by the EV Infrastructure Fund aim to draw in at least a further £30 million of private investment in EV charging in Scotland.

The first stage of the fund focused on developing strategies and planning future development and investment in public EV charging and is now complete.

Most investment in new EV charging enabled through the EV Infrastructure Fund is expected to be delivered between 2025 and 2030.

To make sure that Scotland’s EV charging network works for all parts of Scotland the EV Infrastructure Fund targets public funding at areas where commercial investment alone is not currently viable. Areas that include more rural and island communities will need more public funding to deliver the public EV charging network they need, urban areas are generally expected to be more likely to attract a higher level of private investment to deliver their EV Infrastructure Fund projects.

Regional collaborations between local authorities have been strongly encouraged. These collaborations help to develop economies of scale and give wider benefits related to combining resources to develop EV charging strategies and expansion plans, running public procurement and delivering projects to implement those strategies. The map below shows where local authorities are currently working together to deliver their EV Infrastructure Fund projects, the map includes individual local authority boundaries grouped in the following regional collaborations:

North of Scotland
Dundee On-Street EV Charging
Ayrshire
Perth, Kinross and Angus
Glasgow City Region
North West Scotland
South of Scotland

Map of Scotland, showing boundaries for the local authorities listed above — Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund local authority map

Through the first planning stage of the EV Infrastructure Fund, Scottish Government has funded local authorities to develop Electric Vehicle Public Charging Strategy and Expansion Plans, as well as development of procurement strategies and approaches to deliver those strategies. This planning phase established public electric vehicle charging strategies covering all of Scotland. Summaries of public EV charging strategies will be published over the coming months and will provide an insight into how each region plans to support and enable continued development of a high-quality public charging network in their area.

Local authorities have developed regional approaches that create the scale of ambition that is genuinely attractive to the private sector. Regional partnerships have been working to establish contracts with private sector charge point operators that will enable the private sector partner to take on operation of existing local authority public EV charge points and jointly invest in growing the network. Some regional partnerships have now identified the private sector charge point operators they will work with on these projects, and from Autumn 2025 will start to jointly invest in operating and installing EV charging across their region.

The EV Infrastructure Fund is expected to deliver approximately 6,000 additional public charge points by 2030. The exact number of additional charge points that will be delivered through the EV Infrastructure Fund will be determined by the outcome of public procurement of private sector charge point operators and final assessments of what is needed at each site to meet the needs of EV drivers in that area at the time charge points are being installed.

This fund will ensure that more chargers are installed across urban, rural and island communities, continuing to build confidence in using EVs and helping to support sustainable economic growth as we transition to a net zero transport system.

EV Infrastructure Fund Projects

Transport Scotland has provided £4.48 million to support development of strategies and procurement to all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities and has allocated a further £25.52million of funding to local authorities and regional collaborations to support delivery of their public EV charging strategies. This means that the full £30 million of public funding available through the EV Infrastructure Fund has now been allocated to local authorities in Scotland.

The Scottish Futures Trust are working closely with Transport Scotland and local authorities to support procurement and delivery of EV Infrastructure Fund projects. The pipeline for EV Infrastructure Fund project procurement and delivery can be viewed on the Scottish Futures Trust website.

The £30 million of funding available through the EV Infrastructure Fund has been allocated across the following projects:

Development of Public EV charging Strategy and Expansion Plans

East Lothian Council - £140,000
Stirling Council - £140,000

During the EV Infrastructure Fund planning phase an allocation of £140,000 for each local authority (£4.48 million in total) was available to support the cost of developing a public EV charging Strategy and Expansion Plan (SEP), identifying the current EV charging provision in each local authority area and forecast future EV charging requirements. All of Scotland’s local authorities have developed EV Infrastructure Strategy and Expansion Plans, Stirling Council and East Lothian Council have decided not to progress an EVIF project to deliver their strategy at this time.

North of Scotland EV Infrastructure Fund Project

Funding for EV Strategies and Procurement: £560,000
EV Infrastructure Fund Grant Award: £7.24 million
Expected project delivery: From Autumn 2025
Local Authorities: Highland, Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Councils

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray & Highland councils are working together to deliver a fair, regionally focused, and accessible EV charging network that meets the needs of all users across the region. The approach proposed will place commercially viable solutions at the core of the network and ensure that those without access to off-street parking in urban and rural locations will be able to charge their EV at a nearby charging hub, on-street solution or community-based charger.

The wider regional network will support a more just transition to EVs for everyone who lives, works and visits the area and ensure all communities can access an affordable network.

Dundee On-Street EV Charging EV Infrastructure Fund Project

Funding for EV Strategies and Procurement: £140,000
EV Infrastructure Fund Grant Award: £0.31 million
Expected project delivery: From Spring 2026
Local Authority: Dundee City Council

Dundee City Council aims to deliver a comprehensive public EV charging network across the city that matches the city’s ambition to decarbonise transport, while ensuring that those who live, work and visit Dundee benefit from a fair and consistent tariff for EV charging.

The project will deliver new EV chargers at on-street and community-based locations that will provide EV charging opportunities for those without access to off-street parking.

Ayrshire EV Infrastructure Fund Project

Funding for EV Strategies and Procurement: £420,000
EV Infrastructure Fund Grant Award: £2.89 million
Expected project delivery: From Spring 2026
Local Authorities: North, South and East Ayrshire Councils

Ayrshire Roads Alliance and North Ayrshire Council are working in partnership to deliver the EV infrastructure required to support future uptake of EV’s across Ayrshire. The local authorities aim to provide a just transition to EV uptake. The project will develop a people-focused network, accelerate commercial investment and integrate with the region’s sustainable transport system

Perth, Kinross and Angus EV Infrastructure Fund Project

Funding for EV Strategies and Procurement: £280,000
EV Infrastructure Fund Grant Award: £1.99 million
Expected project delivery: From Spring 2026
Local Authorities: Perth and Kinross and Angus Councils

Perth and Kinross and Angus Councils want to deliver a fair, accessible and ambitious EV charging network that meets the needs of residents, workers and visitors throughout the region.

A programme of stakeholder engagement helped to develop an approach that will complement existing and future private sector charge points, expand the existing network on local authority sites and ensure that those without access to off-street parking in urban and rural locations will be able to charge their EV at a nearby charging hub, on street solution, or public car park-based charger.

Glasgow City Region EV Infrastructure Fund Project

Funding for EV Strategies and Procurement: £1.12 million
EV Infrastructure Fund Grant Award: £3.61 million
Expected project delivery: From Summer 2026
Local Authorities: East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire Councils

The Glasow City Region local authorities are focussed on ensuring that their EV Infrastructure Fund project supports and enables a just transition and establishes a comprehensive and accessible electric vehicle charging network.

Glasgow City Region's EV Infrastructure Fund Project will provide a substantial increase in EV charging infrastructure across the region. This expanded network will be comprehensive and convenient, supporting a consistent and improved driver experience, meet the needs of users, by focusing on equitable access to the EV network, and support the wider sustainable transport system, with accessible charge points at strategic locations that ensure sustainable transport plays a central role in supporting a resilient and inclusive economy across the region.

North West Scotland EV Charging Infrastructure Programme

Funding for EV Strategies and Procurement: £560,000
EV Infrastructure Fund Grant Award: £3.10 million
Expected project delivery: From Autumn 2025
Local Authorities: HITRANS leads this project that includes Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles and Argyll and Bute councils.

The North West Scotland EV Infrastructure Fund project is focussed on establishing a comprehensive and accessible electric vehicle charging network that supports and enables a just transition to net zero.

This collaborative approach will enable a substantial increase in EV charging infrastructure across the region, ensuring the EV charging network is accessible and meets the needs of local communities, businesses and visitors. The project aims to deliver an expanded network that is comprehensive and convenient, supports a consistent and improved driver experience, meets the needs of users and supports continued development and use of the sustainable transport system and a resilient and inclusive economy across the region.

South of Scotland EV Charging Infrastructure Partnership

Funding for EV Strategies and Procurement: £1.12 million
EV Infrastructure Fund Grant Award: £6.38 million
Expected project delivery: From Autumn 2026
Local Authorities: City of Edinburgh Council lead this project that includes Fife, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Midlothian, Dumfries & Galloway, West Lothian and Scottish Borders councils.

The South of Scotland Partnership will work with a private sector charge point operator to take on operation of the local authority owned EV charging network and invest in new EV charge points to meet the needs of EV drivers across the region. The project will ensure that areas where households lack off-street parking and rural communities can access the EV charging, they need to help residents and businesses make the switch to EVs. maybe less commercially attractive for the private sector to meet demand.

The Partnership’s EVIF approach is also focused on enabling a fair transition to EV charging by applying a fair, sustainable and enabling approach to tariffs across all charger types.

Continued Private Sector Investment in Public EV Charging in Scotland

The EV Infrastructure Fund is only one area that will continue to support development of Scotland's public EV charging network. As well as working with local authorities to deliver EV Infrastructure Fund projects, private sector charge point operators are already investing in new sites in Scotland, particularly to install new high-powered charging along our trunk road network.

ChargeUK is a trade organisation that represents private sector Charge Point Operators who are investing in public EV charging. Collectively, members of ChargeUK have publicly committed to investing over £6 billion in the UK’s public EV charging network by 2030.

The Ionity EV Charging Hub in Ayr, with a group of people including John Swinney, First Minister for Scotland and Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport — 4 November 2024 – Mr John Swinney, First Minister for Scotland and Ms Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, visit Ionity EV charging hub, Ayr and announced further local authority funding from the EV Infrastructure Fund for Ayrshire and Glasgow City Region.