Scotland has some of the most well-developed publicly-funded electric vehicle infrastructure in the UK, but more investment is needed, according to new analysis.
Research by HSBC Commercial Banking found that there are 743 publicly-funded chargepoints for electric vehicles in Scotland – meaning there are 7,127 people per checkpoint.
The ratio in Wales is 98,806 people per chargepoint, for London it is 17,682 and for Northern Ireland it is 9,789. Only the north east of England had a better ratio with 3,931 people per chargepoint.
HSBC has warned that further private investment is needed in infrastructure for electric cars. It said that nearly three quarters of the UK population have limited access to publicly-funded chargepoints.
It said that despite rising demand for electric vehicles and increasing awareness of the health issues caused by poor air quality, there are nearly 17,000 people in the UK for every publicly-available electric vehicle chargepoint.
While around 47,000 plug-in cars were registered last year, only 173 new, publicly-funded chargepoints became available.
It is widely thought that the number of electric vehicle chargepoints registered in the UK will grow exponentially in the next five years, but HSBC warns this is unlikely unless private sector investment increases.
Scott McClurg, head of energy & sustainability for HSBC Corporate Banking, said: “Chargepoints are a vital barometer for the health of the electric vehicle market. Infrastructure is fundamental to the successful transition to emission-free driving and so far the UK is falling short in many regions.
“While the major forecourt owners plan how to balance rising demand for chargepoints with the ongoing need for petrol and diesel pumps, there is an opportunity for private investors to plug the chargepoint gap across the UK.”
Scotland is one of four regions of the UK with an above-average number of public chargepoints per person. HSBC said the majority of the country still suffers from massive gaps in public chargepoint infrastructure.
McClurg added: “National Grid recently announced plans to overcome the challenge of long-distance electric vehicle travel. Urgent attention must now be given to local, urban solutions as more consumers and businesses transition to electric vehicles.
“If Scotland is to shift to electric vehicles in the long term, the overall volume of chargepoints has to improve across the board. While there are clear opportunities to meet rising demand through the private sector, local authorities and central government are also looking closely at this space to ensure the right infrastructure is in place.”
HSBC said it has installed over 40 electric vehicle chargepoints at its offices around the UK and plans to add more in 2018.
