To ensure the long-term growth, sustainability and reliability of the public EV charging network in Scotland, crucial private sector investment is needed to grow it at scale and pace, according to a new report from the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT). 

The research claims that subsidies and sometimes free charging applied by owners of chargeports on the ChargePlace Scotland network has deterred private sector investment in EV charging in Scotland, potentially harming the growth of the EV network. 

Private sector investors have found it difficult to compete with the hefty subsidies offered by public charging portals the Scottish government offers in order to encourage decarbonisation. 

According to the report, Scotland has more public charge points per head than any other region in the UK besides London, but the private sector has offered far less investment into Scotland comparatively. 

The private sector has only invested in Scottish regions they deem commercially viable where they do not have to directly compete with subsided public charge points to make a profit. 

“We know that competing against reduced tariffs is causing private sector charge point owners to hesitate to invest in Scotland’s network, which will limit its growth,” Andrew Bruce, who leads the EV work at the Scottish Futures Trust said. 

The low cost of EV charging portals were meant to encourage uptake and make it more possible for lower-income drivers to afford the switch. 

However, the report shows that running an EV is less than that of a petrol or diesel car, and argues that the incentive of highly subsidised or free electric charging is no longer necessary to encourage the switch, and is actively harming the expansion of EV charge points by the private sector. 

Scotland’s EV network currently supports a membership of 63,000 drivers, which is growing by around 500 every week. 

This continued growth may require a change in the subsidy structure to encourage private sector investment to create a secure network, and tariffs may be the answer to switch to a commercial model. 

In the report, SFT recommends that local authority chargepoint owners:

• Adopt a pricing regime that covers all costs and that is broadly aligned with the market rate.
• Set out a timetable for the transition to market rate pricing and communicate with local EV drivers the benefits of enabling an expanded, accessible and reliable network.
• Explore the introduction of flexible and off-peak pricing structures to enable more affordable charging.
• Put processes in place to allow price regimes to respond to changing energy costs in a timely manner.

Jenny Gilruth, the Minister for Transport, said: “It’s vital that the public charging network has tariffs which are fair, sustainable and are set at a rate which enables the private sector to invest right across the country in the long term.

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“Underpinned by our newly designed £60 million Public EV Infrastructure Fund – aimed at attracting in private investment – Scotland is well positioned to build on the strong foundations we have, respond collectively to the global climate emergency and deliver on our commitment to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.”

As the cost of living crisis and energy crisis affect more and more of the public, encouraging environmentally responsible energy sources is vital in protecting both people and the ecosystem. 

Bruce said: “We now need to take a longer-term view on EV charging to ensure we have well maintained infrastructure and deliver a comprehensive network of charge points that are ready to cope with mass adoption.”

Neil Swanson, Director of the Electric Vehicle Association Scotland agreed, saying: “The need for tariffs applied over the ChargePlace Scotland network is something key to promote private investment in the development of this critical infrastructure.”

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