Electric Motoring Revolution Hits The Roads In Scotland

8th October 2012

Free charge points and vehicle grants make electric motoring affordable.

Scottish businesses are set to enjoy motoring costs of under 2 pence per mile, with the Energy Saving Trust (EST) Scotland providing 100% funding for the installation of publicly accessible charge points - whether or not the business currently uses an electric vehicle.

The EST grant scheme is intended to complement the national network of charge points being installed across Scotland, and will benefit both the motorist and businesses owning the charge points, who will be able to attract more customers by promoting their new charging facilities and green transport credentials.

Recent developments in charge point technology mean that electric motoring may ultimately become more appealing in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK. Erik Fairbairn, CEO of POD Point Ltd, who recently launched Europe's first communicating charge point, commented: "A communicating charge point effectively turns the charging location into a smart energy hub, by providing local energy management. It can be programmed to synchronise charging cycles according to the availability of locally generated electricity, or deliver greater energy efficiency by using the spare energy from buildings to charge parked cars."

Scotland's renewable energy economy has produced a mind-set where energy efficiency measures are already an accepted part of the business landscape. Many small businesses are already expressing interest in going electric - particularly in sectors such as retail and utilities where drivers do routine, planned journeys and return to base to charge overnight.

The POD Point communicating charge point includes unique features including the ability to remotely set the time for workplace charging, so businesses can make the most of lower-cost off-peak electricity, the ability to cap the amount of electricity supplied to individual users, and produce automated expense reports detailing the amount of electricity supplied to each user.

Businesses seeking more information on the EST Scotland charge point grant, can visit:

www.pod-point.com/est-scotland, or contact POD Point on 0207 247 4114.

EST Scotland offers interest free grants for electric or hybrid vehicle purchase:

EST Scotland is offering interest free loans of up to £50,000 for businesses purchasing electric or hybrid vehicles, with repayment terms of up to 6 years. For more details see: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/Organisations/Transport/Interest-free-low-carbon-transport-loan.

Electric Vehicle Association Scotland
The Electric Vehicle Association Scotland represents private electric vehicle owners and potential owners in Scotland, and campaigns for publicly available charging infrastructure. For more information, visit www.eva-scotland.org.