Electric vehicle charging points outnumber rural petrol stations in Scotland

Electric vehicles are becoming a feature of car clubs in Scotland (Carplus)

Electric vehicles are becoming a feature of car clubs in Scotland (Carplus)

The number of rural petrol stations in Scotland is about to be overtaken by electric vehicle (EV) charge stations, with plug-in points replacing pumps in some villages.

There are more than 550 charging points across the country but fewer than 700 non-supermarket filling stations. By contrast, the Electric Vehicle Association Scotland said the number of rapid chargers, which take around 20 minutes, had doubled in the last year alone to around 150.

There were virtually no chargers five years ago, while petrol forecourts have declined by a quarter over the last decade.

The Petrol Retailers Association said one-third of independent filling stations, many rural, had closed.

Carplus, the national body for car clubs, said one-in-five of its members’ vehicles were electric. Carplus communications manager Beate Kubitz, said: “Many rural filling stations have disappeared, so people living in remote areas have to plan and make detours to fill up with petrol and diesel. The charge point network is growing rapidly and makes driving an electric car longer distances possible.”

Transport Scotland, which plans to rid the country of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2050, said its funding for chargers had helped accelerate electric car use, with 1,278 cars sold last year, more than in the previous four years combined.

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act sets a target of an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. With the transport sector needing to make a significant contribution towards meeting this target. The Climate Change Delivery Plan calls for the almost complete decarbonisation of road transport in Scotland by 2050 with significant progress by 2030 through wholesale adoption of electric cars and vans.