Scotland chosen to kick off national rollout of EV infrastructure

Scotland has been chosen to host the launch of a national rollout of electrical vehicle (EV) infrastructure in the coming weeks.  

BT Group have chosen East Lothian to set in motion it’s project to repurpose its street cabinets into EV chargers.  

The company hopes the trial will trigger a scale-up to tackle the lack of EV chargers, bringing the UK Government one step closer to its target to boost the number of charging points by almost 250,000 by 2030.  

Tom Guy, managing director of BT Group, said: “Working closely with local councils in Scotland and more widely across the UK, we are at a critical stage of our journey in tackling a very real customer problem that sits at the heart of our wider purpose to connect for good.”  

Over the next two years, the company’s digital incubation team will carry out technical and commercial pilots to upgrade up to 60,000 street cabinets into EV charging units.  

The trials will help evaluate technical, civil planning, commercial and operational considerations for the rollout.   

Customer accessibility, local council engagement, public funding options and joint ventures are among the matters the company will analyse.  

The scheme was ignited after recent research from BT Group showed almost 60 per cent of UK citizens believe EV charging infrastructure is inadequate, with almost 80 per cent of petrol and diesel drivers quoting this as a barrier to not getting an EV.   

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, as of December 2023, there were more than 975,000 EVs on UK roads yet a survey by mapping company Zapmap revealed there are currently only 53,000 charging points to meet such demand.   

It is also hoped the scheme will help decarbonise the transport system – which is the industry contributing the most to climate change in Scotland - and meet net-zero targets.  

“This is a key step in our mission to build products and services right now that work for the future, with positive transformation at the heart,” Guy added.  

North of the border, the goal is to cut transport emissions by 75 per cent by 2030 with overall plans to reach net zero set for 2045, five years before the rest of the UK.