More than 600 new EV chargers will be installed at approximately 300 locations across Ayrshire.
The partnership between East, North and South Ayrshire Councils and EV charge point operator (CPO) Believ will support residents and visitors across the region including those without access to a charge point at home.
The 15-year agreement will be delivered alongside Transport Scotland and the Scottish Futures Trust. The project will combine over £2.8 million of funding from Scottish Government’s EV Infrastructure Fund with more than £15 million in committed capital investment from Believ.
Believ will manage all charge point operations, as well as ongoing maintenance. Believ will also take over the management of existing chargers.
The rollout will provide a mix of charging speeds, from standard plus* to rapid, which will provide charging options for drivers requiring long-stay or overnight charging, as well as faster top ups.
The rollout will support urban, rural and island communities, including the Isle of Arran.
East Ayrshire will receive around 180 additional chargers, North Ayrshire around 210, and South Ayrshire will receive around 220.
At least five accessible charging locations in each council area will be included in the rollout, to help ensure public charging is accessible for drivers with a range of mobility needs.
Stephen Flynn, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport said: "I’m delighted that £2.8 million from the Scottish Government will support 600 new EV chargers in Ayrshire. Our Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund is enabling local authorities to partner with each other and with the private sector to attract private investment and help drivers in Ayrshire continue to make the switch to EVs.”
Councillor Tony Gurney, Leader of North Ayrshire Council, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this initiative and look forward to seeing the impact it will have across Ayrshire.
"We want to make Ayrshire greener and to try and give everyone equal access to technology so that we can encourage as many people as possible to go electric. The use of electric cars – a cheaper and more environmentally friendly way of travelling – is something we want to make accessible and affordable to support our net-zero ambitions. We look forward to seeing the scheme in operation and how it can make a real difference to people.”
