The sale of all new petrol and diesel cars will be banned in Scotland from 2030. Seamless and uncomplicated public charging for private and commercial electric vehicles is essential if more owners are to be encouraged to switch from petrol and diesel to this cleaner form of fuel... especially if the government's drive to Net Zero emissions is ever to be achieved.

One of the top concerns holding drivers back, according to motoring groups, is the way in which EV drivers pay for accessing the country's growing number of charging points.

While most privately-owned EVs are charged at home, and topped up en-route, the majority of commercial and fleet transport vehicles charge either at company depots where there's been the necessary investment, or suitably equipped public hubs for longer, cross-country journeys.

In 2022, a new one-card called PAUA was launched in Scotland which eliminated they need for commercial drivers to carry as many multiple membership and a payment cards, most with different Apps and logins, to access different charging facilities. At the last count, there were 17 individual charge point installers operating throughout Scotland with more in England and each with their own activation/pay cards.

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ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) is the country's national electric vehicle charging network, and operates with the support of Transport Scotland, the national transport agency. Its goal is to make EV ownership accessible for all Scottish drivers.

The EV charging network from Shetland to the Scottish Borders is managed by SWARCO which runs the CPS backroom operations. New charging hubs are being installed and introduced........

© Herald Scotland