Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, will announce Scottish Government plans today to expand the electric vehicle (EV) charging network across Ayrshire and the Glasgow City Region with £6.3 million of investment.

The government said that the investment from the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund will lead to the introduction of around 3,550 new public EV charge points across the region.

The minister also welcomed news from ZapMap, the charge point data provider, that Scotland has already reached its target of installing more than 6,000 public EV charge points, two years ahead of the 2026 target.

In a visit to South Ayrshire, Swinney and the transport secretary, Fiona Hyslop, will visit an electric vehicle charging hub where they will meet representatives from EV infrastructure company IONITY, with the firm pledging an additional £20 million in investment by 2028 to deliver green electricity through its chargers.

“Today’s announcement is clear evidence of our commitment to making sustainable travel accessible for everyone in Scotland,” said the first minister.

“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. This is a key example of how the Scottish Government is focused on delivering on our key priorities and I am looking forward to hearing from people in Ayr about how we can continue to deliver for them.”

Since 2011 the Scottish Government has invested over £65 million in public EV charging, with ZapMap confirming that Scotland had 6,007 public charge points as of 31 October, delivered through a combination of public and private sector investment.

Having already surpassed the target of 6,000 public EV charge points by 2026, Scotland now has more public EV charge points than any other part of the UK per head, except London.

With that goal met, the government said it is now working to establish another 24,000 additional public charge points by 2030, with the expectation that the majority of these will be delivered by the private sector.

As well as public charge points, the government claims it has also provided £5.7 million to support the installation of 18,861 domestic charge points, as well as £10.8 million to support 1,432 higher powered workplace charge points to complement the growing public network.

Zapmap COO and co-founder, Melanie Shufflebotham, said: “Reaching the milestone of 6,000 public chargers across Scotland is a significant achievement, with the Scottish government showing great commitment to the EV sector with the forward-looking investment in the ChargePlace Scotland network over the last decade. 

“This infrastructure not only supports Scottish EV drivers in their daily travels but also enables visitors to explore the stunning Scottish landscape with confidence on longer journeys.”

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Gartner predicts that by the end of next year, roughly 85 million electric vehicles will be on the world’s roads, rising by a third over 2024, with ownership of battery fitted EVs growing at a faster rate than hybrid electric vehicles.

That expectation has led to a surge in investment in the UK’s EV battery market. The UKRI claims that the country now ranks as the fourth largest EV battery VC investment recipient since 2018, following the US, China and Sweden, with UK-based EV battery startups having raised over £2 billion in funds over six years.

As more EV batteries are released into the market, investments will have to be matched by increased spending in charging infrastructure, like that being made in Scotland, if the UK is to encourage widespread electric ownership in an effort to meet net-zero targets.