Draft Implementation Plan: Vision for Scotland’s public electric vehicle charging network

Consultation Response

Credits — Common Weal

Overview

Common Weal believes that the rollout of Scotland’s electric vehicle charging network should be convenient, affordable and user-friendly for all. We oppose the Scottish Government’s view that the public sector should not have a role in this sector especially when remote and rural areas won’t attract naturally private investment.

Common Weal believes in the importance of rolling out an EV charging network that is convenient, affordable and user friendly for all. The Scottish Government has decided that, going forward, the expansion of the EV charging network shall rely on private investment. Although this has been done in other countries that have robust EV networks, this was done when the network was further developed. We therefore don’t agree that upscaling the network shouldn’t include public investment, especially when considering remote and rural areas that won’t naturally attract private investment.

The main concerns that Common Weal want to highlight concerning Scotland’s EV charging network, and therefore the uptake of electric cars which will aid us in cutting our carbon output, is the usability of the network. We strongly advise the Scottish Government implement a standard user experience that needs to be implemented by private charging companies, like you would expect at any petrol station. Paying for charging and using equipment should be standardised and should always be user inclusive. These points are imperative if we are to persuade more road users to switch to an electric vehicle.