Councillors in Edinburgh have approved a £3.3m plan to introduce a ‘strategic, citywide network of electric vehicle (EV) charging points’.
Edinburgh City Council said it is the first city in the UK to put forward such an ‘ambitious and comprehensive’ EV infrastructure business case, amid the growing popularity of electric cars among its residents.
A business case put to its Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday (4 October) proposed that by 2023, the capital will need to install 211 new charging points at a cost of £3.3m.
The majority (111) of these would be ‘fast’ 7-22kW DC charge points, with charging times typically between two to four hours. There would also be 77 ‘slow’ (7kW) chargers. And 23 ‘rapid’ (50kW) chargers.
The council’s transport convener, Lesley Macinnes, said: ‘Edinburgh is in the vanguard of a nationwide drive to improve electric vehicle infrastructure and this business case will help us make great strides towards a greener, healthier capital.'
While the city is predicted to have nearly 10,000 residential and commercial electric vehicles by 2023, it is assumed that many users will have access to driveways and garages for home charging and will not need access to public infrastructure, the council said.
A total of 68 locations that can host multiple charging points have been identified across the city.
The scheme would have annual running costs of £870,000 and generate revenue of £1.3m, providing a surplus that would see the cash paid back in around seven years, according to the report.
The council has applied to Transport Scotland's Switched On Towns and Cities fund for £2m towards the plan
Michael Matheson, the Scottish Government’s cabinet secretary for transport, infrastructure and connectivity signalled his support.
He said: ‘I welcome the City of Edinburgh Council’s innovative plans to intensify the availability of electric vehicle charge points across our capital.'
If the business case is approved, a work programme will be developed that will detail the final list of locations, costs, timelines and associated works, including liaison with network provider Scottish Power.
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