Electric Vehicles on Map to the Future

12/12/2011

The Scottish Government and key figures from across the electric vehicle industry and public sector met last week to discuss the way forward for Scotland’s electric future.

The event was held at Edinburgh's City Chambers to launch a new Report by WWF: Powering Ahead: How to put Electric Cars on Scotland's Roads.  The report sets out a 16-point plan detailing priority measures designed to tackle the most significant barriers and increase EV take up. 

The launch event was accompanied by an interactive workshop and well attended by transport managers, environment managers and academics involved in addressing climate change. 

Addressing the event, Transport Minister Keith Brown said that electric vehicles had an important role to play as part of an package of measures designed to address reduce Scotland's carbon footprint. 

"We need Scotland to drive less, cycle more, walk more, use more public transport and car share more," said Brown. 

"We also need to cut emissions from road transport.  That's why we've invested £8 million over the past two years, via our Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme, which has helped purchase some 300 new vehicles."

Brown continued: "During 2012 we'll be rolling out a network of public charging points.  To get electric vehicles accepted we need to think how the customer thinks and especially to think about convenience."

The Transport Minister added that - thanks to innovative companies like Allied Electric, which manufactures electric vans and cars in Glasgow and Axeon, which manufactures electric vehicle batteries in Dundee - developing the EV market will provide indigenous economic benefits as well as having a major impact on carbon reduction. 

The WWF report sets out a number of suggestions to help encourage the uptake of electric vehicles, including:

• Calling on the Scottish Government to publish a comprehensive EV Strategy & Action Plan for Scotland.
• Developing alternative ownership models for electric vehicles, to offset lower running costs against higher purchase costs.
• Achieving an ambitious target that all public fleet vehicles should be electric by 2020.
• Topping up the current £5,000 UK Government grant for the first 25,000 EVs purchased in Scotland.

Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland, commented: “Making Scotland a world leader in the race to an all electric future could reap huge rewards including reducing emissions, tackling air quality, driving innovation and investment in a new industry. 

"Our report recognises there will be challenges on the way to achieving this vision, but sets out solutions to help make this a reality.”