Aberdeenshire Council has announced plans to build 15 new electric charging points in the coming financial year.
They say it is part of its project to expand the infrastructure in the region.
This “prioritised programme” is being developed with a focus on filling existing gaps in the network, particularly for small to medium villages and towns.
Older charging stations will also be replaced to increase the availability of dual-charge units.
It has been funded by Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire transport partnership body Nestrans and a Scottish Government grant.
Where will the new Aberdeenshire charge points go?
The charge points will be placed at 15 spots across Aberdeenshire. They are:
- Inverbervie: Market Square
- Balmedie: Library
- Peterhead: Threadneedle Street car park
- Peterhead: Buchan House in Peterhead
- Banchory: Bellfield Car Park (rapid)
- Westhill: Westhill Swimming Pool
- Westhill: Westhill Academy
- Huntly: Linden Centre in Huntly
- Banff: Deveron Sports Centre
- Mintlaw: Aden Country Park
- Stonehaven: Viewmount
- Kemnay: Kemnay Academy
- Laurencekirk: Mearns Academy
- Ellon: Ellon Community Campus
- Portlethen: Portlethen Hillside School (installed and coming on-line shortly)
However, the council has said there could be more charging points announced later.
As well as expanding the number of chargers available, it will “continue to identify locations” where more rapid chargers can be installed.
The council currently has three types of charging points with varying amounts of speeds. They are:
- Standard chargers: 7kW AC
- Fast chargers: 22kW AC
- Rapid chargers: 50kW DC/43kW AC,
From next month the cost of charge will increase from the current 24p per kW hour to 47p per kW hour.
Will the charging points meet Aberdeenshire’s shortfall?
It is hoped the additional chargers will help meet the Aberdeenshire shortfall.
In 2021, two transport reporters for The Press and Journal found Aberdeenshire was “miles behind” the Highlands during a drive to Cop 26 in Glasgow.
As well as being far apart they found that the charging points were repeatedly broken.
In October, it was revealed a charge point in Ellon had not been switched on despite being installed seven months previously.
In the past three years, £30 million has been handed out to local authorities by the Scottish Government for installing EV charging points.
But less than £1.4m of it has been given to Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.
The Scottish Government has previously said it will phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 in a bid to meet its climate change targets.
Chargers a ‘positive step’ for Aberdeenshire
Scottish Conservative MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Alexander Burnett, believes the announcement is a “positive step” towards making electric vehicles as convenient as traditionally powered vehicles.
He said: “Taxpayers in the north-east have seen very little value for money when it comes to ChargePlace Scotland’s progress but I am pleased several areas in my constituency will finally receive these much-needed and overdue charging facilities.
“It’s vital this progress to expand our charging network is ramped up by the Scottish Government if we are going to meet our goals on protecting our climate and improving air quality.
“Many people living in rural areas in my constituency are still not confident enough to buy an electric vehicle due to the lack of charging points while the ones that are in place are often broken.”
To find out where all the electric vehicle charging points are, visit the ChargePlace Scotland website.
Conversation