An agreement has been reached to boost the electric vehicle infrastructure across western Scotland, through the delivery of 24 new rapid charging stations.
Following a publicly-advertised procurement process, Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HiTrans) has agreed with ScottishPower to deliver the new rapid chargers as part of the INTERREG VA FASTER Project.
The contract will be delivered in support of the FASTER Project, which has received €6.4m in EU funding under the INTERREG VA programme. Match funding of £250,000 has also been provided by Transport Scotland.
ScottishPower will supply Raption 50 units with 50kW charging capacity for electric vehicles to further support the transition to electric vehicle use in rural and isolated areas.
The new charging infrastructure will be installed in areas including Argyll and Bute, Skye, Lochaber and Lochalsh and the Western Isles, forming an extension to the existing Charge Place Scotland network.
Gemma Robinson, project officer at HITRANs said: “ScottishPower is committed to speeding up the electrification of transport and demonstrated a strong understanding of the challenges our region faces in providing reliable and accessible charging infrastructure.
“Environmental protection, social equality and ethical governance were key themes throughout their public procurement exercise, so we look forward to progressing the FASTER project in collaboration with their team.”
ScottishPower will work with established subcontractors to deliver this new network, which will have contactless payment options and will not require drivers to use a dedicated app or subscription card.
Chris Carberry, smart solutions director at ScottishPower, said: “We are delighted to work with the Highlands and Island Transport Partnership to help facilitate a sustainable transition to electric vehicles in the region.
“We recognise that rural areas often face more challenges when it comes to accessing charging infrastructure and we are very pleased to be working with HITRANS to improve this and support wider public access to rapid charging for their vehicles.”
ScottishPower will provide a three-year warranty and maintenance package and a one-year works guarantee, with all work expected to be completed before the end of October 2023.
Separately, Dundee’s fourth public charging hub is to become the city’s most innovative yet.
Launching on 25 April, the new site is the result of a collaboration between Dundee Council and traffic technology group SWARCO.
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