£300m 20-year contract to help more than double EV charge points in Highlands
A £300 million deal has been made which will more than double the number of EV charge points in the Highlands before the end of 2027.
Highland Council and the local authorities covering Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray have linked up to announce the awarding of a 20-year contract to EasyGo, which will massively increase public EV charging access across the north of Scotland.
The deal will mean that the 331 public chargers currently in place across the north will increase to 881 before the end of December 2027.
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The contract is estimated to be worth up to £300 million and Highland Council will take the lead on it.
In the Highlands, the number will rise from the 118 that are operational at present, to 271 within the next 30 months.
Once all chargers are in place, the Highland Council area will have 111 7kW AC Fast chargers, three 11kW AC Fast units, 39 22kW AC Fast ones, 74 50kW DC rapid chargers, and 44 DC rapid units with charge rates greater than 50kW.
As part of the deal, EasyGo will also adopt and maintain all existing council-owned public charging points in the region.
Transport Scotland has committed more than £7 million worth of funding to enable the partnership as part of the Scottish Government’s £30 million Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund.
The north of Scotland partnership is the first inter-council contract to have been awarded and is the largest grant award in Scotland since the fund’s inception.
Councillor Ken Gowans, vice convener of Highland Council said: “We are honoured to lead this groundbreaking initiative in the north of Scotland which sets a new standard for regional cooperation.
“This project exemplifies the power of collaboration as we work closely with our neighbouring local authorities to create a comprehensive and accessible EV charging network.
“By addressing the critical need for expanded charging infrastructure, we are removing significant barriers to electric vehicle adoption, better serving our communities in both urban and rural areas and delivering a wide range of community benefits.
“Together, we are paving the way for a greener, more equitable and connected future across the Highlands and beyond.”
Chris Kelly, director of EasyGo, said: “As the largest EV charging network across Ireland, we are truly excited to be working with the Scottish Government on the north of Scotland electric vehicle charging infrastructure partnership, following a successful and thorough procurement process.
“Supporting progressive councils across the country in building out EV infrastructure is a vital step towards a more sustainable and future-focused Scotland. This project enables us to bring our proven expertise to the forefront, ensuring a reliable and efficient charging network that will power Scotland’s journey to Net Zero.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, added: “I’m pleased that over £7 million from the Scottish Government is transforming public electric vehicle infrastructure across the north of Scotland. Our £30 million Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund has now been fully allocated to support this type of collaboration across the country and is expected to support the delivery of around 6,000 additional public charge points by 2030.
“In the north of Scotland, our investment has enabled an innovative procurement partnership across four local authorities, that is expected to leverage over £4.9 million of additional matched private sector investment over the next three years to expand the availability, accessibility and reliability of public EV charging.
“As we transition away from ChargePlace Scotland, in line with our published vision for public charging infrastructure – this truly collaborative approach, supported through our Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, directly contributes to our ambition to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.”
