ChargePlace Scotland

Last updated

ChargePlace Scotland.svg

ChargePlace Scotland, also referred to as CPS, is a Scottish Government funded initiative to develop, own and operate critical infrastructure for sustainable energy delivery to electric vehicle drivers. It is Scotland's national electric vehicle (EV) charging network, developed to support the country's transition to sustainable transport and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. Established by the Scottish Government, CPS is one of the most comprehensive charging networks in the United Kingdom, with a mix of rapid, fast, and standard chargers distributed across urban, rural, and remote areas across Scotland. The network is publicly funded and designed to ensure widespread accessibility, contributing significantly to Scotland's climate goals. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Activities

ChargePlace Scotland has 2,923 publicly available charge points registered in the ChargePlace Scotland Network. [4] The network covers major transport routes and ensures accessibility even in Scotland's most remote regions, addressing a critical need for equitable EV charging availability. The network is primarily composed of charge points owned by local authorities and private businesses but is managed centrally by SWARCO, a business from Swarovski. [5]

ChargePlace Scotland has no planned investment beyond 1 April 2025 due to a decision to transition away from the network. [6] "The current ChargePlace Scotland contract has the option to run until mid-2025", and Transport Scotland has stated that they will continue to evaluate the future of the network beyond this period. [7]

In June 2022 ChargePlace Scotland partnered with Paua Tech Limited, as the first roaming partnership for the network, to enable seamless roaming across their EV charging network for business drivers in a single payment solution. [8] [9]

ChargePlace Scotland was initially free but has introduced costs to the network since 2024. [10] Costs have been criticised by EV drivers. [11]

History

ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) was launched in 2013 by Transport Scotland with an initial network of 55 public charge points, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support early electric vehicle (EV) adopters. Over time, it has grown into a nationwide network, funded through public grants and contributions from local authorities and other organizations. [12]

In 2021, the contract to operate ChargePlace Scotland transitioned from BP Chargemaster to SWARCO eVolt following a competitive tendering process. [13] Swarco eVolt faced criticism for technical and operational challenges during the changeover. "Massive problems at a Dundee service centre have wreaked havoc on Scotland’s £45m electric vehicle (EV) charging network." [14] This change aimed to improve service reliability and expand the network. SWARCO implemented significant upgrades, including a redesigned mobile app, elimination of annual membership fees, and enhanced customer support.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric vehicle</span> Vehicle propelled by one or more electric motors

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle whose propulsion is powered fully or mostly by electricity. EVs include road and rail vehicles, electric boats and underwater vessels, electric aircraft and electric spacecraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda EV Plus</span> Late 1990s experimental U.S. electric car

The Honda EV Plus was an experimental electric vehicle which was the first battery electric vehicle from a major automaker that did not use lead–acid batteries. Roughly 340 EV Plus models were produced and released. Production of the EV Plus was discontinued in 1999 after Honda announced the release of its first hybrid electric vehicle, the Honda Insight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charging station</span> Installation for charging electric vehicles

A charging station, also known as a charge point, chargepoint, or electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), is a power supply device that supplies electrical power for recharging plug-in electric vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric car</span> Car propelled by an electric motor using energy stored in batteries

An electric car or electric vehicle (EV) is a passenger automobile that is propelled by an electric traction motor, using electrical energy as the primary source of propulsion. The term normally refers to a plug-in electric vehicle, typically a battery electric vehicle (BEV), which only uses energy stored in on-board battery packs, but broadly may also include plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), which can convert electric power from other fuels via a generator or a fuel cell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric vehicle charging network</span> Infrastructure system of charging stations to recharge electric vehicles

An electric vehicle charging network is an infrastructure system of charging stations to recharge electric vehicles. The term electric vehicle infrastructure (EVI) may refer to charging stations in general or the network of charging stations across a nation or region. The proliferation of charging stations can be driven by charging station providers or government investment, and is a key influence on consumer behaviour in the transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles. While charging network vendors have in the past offered proprietary solutions limited to specific manufacturers, vendors now usually supply energy to electric vehicles regardless of manufacturer.

ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. is an American electric vehicle infrastructure company based in Campbell, California. ChargePoint operates the largest online network of independently owned EV charging stations operating in 14 countries and makes some of its technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Range anxiety</span> Fear of insufficient vehicle range, especially in electric vehicles

Range anxiety is the driver's fear that a vehicle has insufficient energy storage to cover the road distance needed to reach its intended destination, and would thus strand the vehicle's occupants mid-way. The term, which as of 2010 was used primarily in reference to the practical driving range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), was considered to be one of the major psychological barriers to large-scale public adoption of electric cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plug-in electric vehicles in Hong Kong</span> Overview of electric vehicles in Hong Kong

The adoption of electric vehicles in Hong Kong is actively supported by the Hong Kong government, which recognizes battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and conventional hybrid electric vehicles to be environmentally friendly and eligible for financial incentives. As of 31 October 2017, there were 11,039 electric vehicles in Hong Kong, up from less than 100 in 2010. At present, 73 EV models from eight countries have been approved by the Transport Department to be eligible for the incentives. These include 51 models for private cars and motorcycles and 22 models for public transport and commercial vehicles.

Chargemaster Limited is a supplier of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, based in Milton Keynes, England. It provides charging units for home, business and public use, and operates its own electric vehicle fast charging network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ISO 15118</span> Proposed standard for vehicle-to-grid

ISO 15118Road vehicles -- Vehicle to grid communication interface is a proposed international standard defining a vehicle to grid (V2G) communication interface for bi-directional charging/discharging of electric vehicles. The standard provides multiple use cases like secure communication, smart charging and the Plug & Charge feature used by some electric vehicle networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plug-in electric vehicles in Australia</span> Overview of plug-in electric vehicles in Australia

The adoption of plug-in electric vehicles in Australia is driven mostly by state-based electric vehicle targets and monetary incentives to support the adoption and deployment of low- or zero-emission vehicles. The monetary incentives include electric vehicle subsidies, interest-free loans, registration exemptions, stamp duty exemptions, the luxury car tax exemption and discounted parking for both private and commercial purchases. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation, energy providers, car loan providers and car insurance providers also offer their own financial incentives for electric vehicle purchases including Macquarie Bank offering the lowest electric car loan of 2.99%.

IONITY operates as HPC charging network available for all electric vehicles across 24 countries in Europe. It is a joint venture of the car manufacturers BMW Group, Ford Motor Company, Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes-Benz AG, and Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche, along with BlackRock's Climate Infrastructure Platform as a financial investor. The company's headquarters is in Munich, Germany, with additional offices in Dortmund and outside Norway's capital Oslo. IONITY enables roaming from electric mobility service providers (EMSPs) and offers the Plug & Charge technology for selected vehicles, alongside convenient payment options and subscription offers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electrify America</span> Electric vehicle charging network in U.S.

Electrify America, LLC is an electric vehicle DC fast-charging network in the United States, with more than 950 stations and over 4,250 DC fast charging connectors as of August 2024. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America, established in late 2016 by the automaker as part of its efforts to offset emissions in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Volkswagen, as part of its settlement following the "Dieselgate" emissions scandal, invested $2 billion in creating Electrify America. In June 2022, Siemens became a minority shareholder of the company. Electrify America supports the CCS and CHAdeMO connector types with plans to add NACS connectors starting in 2025. Electrify America has been the target of significant criticism for the perceived lack of reliability and maintenance of its stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electrify Canada</span> Electric vehicle charging network in Canada

Electrify Canada is a corporation formed by Electrify America and Volkswagen Group to build electric vehicle (EV) direct current (DC) charging infrastructure in Canada.

Gridserve Sustainable Energy Limited, stylised as GRIDSERVE, is a British company founded in 2017 to develop, own and operate critical infrastructure for sustainable energy production. Gridserve opened the UK's first all-electric car charging forecourt in 2020, with the second opening in April 2022 and plans to introduce several more in the coming years to charge electric vehicles with 100% renewable energy, supporting the UK's transition to carbon neutrality. The company capitalises its name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plug-in electric vehicles in Thailand</span>

The manufacture, sale, and adoption of electric vehicles in Thailand is supported by the Thai government, in order to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha appointed the National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee in February 2020 to set targets for zero emission vehicle adoption. The government has announced aims for 30% of automobiles produced in 2030 to be electric, and to become a regional hub for electric vehicle manufacturing.

The adoption of electric vehicles in Singapore is supported by the Singapore government via the Singapore Green Plan 2030 to have new car models required to run on cleaner energy sources and installation of up to 60,000 electric vehicle charging stations. Financial incentives are given to the public for installation of charging points and purchase of electric cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American Charging System</span> Electric vehicle connector standard

The North American Charging System (NACS), standardized as SAE J3400, is an electric vehicle (EV) charging connector standard maintained by SAE International. Developed by Tesla, Inc., it has been used by all North American market Tesla vehicles since 2021 and was opened for use by other manufacturers in November 2022. It is backwards compatible with the proprietary Tesla connectors made before 2021.

Paua Tech Limited, "Paua", is an electric vehicle charging network aggregator based in the UK.

A fast charging network, or more specifically an HPC charging network, is a network of publicly accessible fast charging stations for electric vehicles. A fast charging network is a subtype of an electric vehicle charging network.

References

  1. ↑ "Complete guide to the ChargePlace Scotland charging network". DrivingElectric. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  2. ↑ "Electric Vehicles & Cars in Scotland – EV Charging". VisitScotland. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "ChargePlace Scotland public charging network guide". zap-map.com. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  4. ↑ "Statistics on EV chargers by ChargePlace Scotland: FOI release". gov.scot. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "SWARCO to operate ChargePlace Scotland". SWARCO. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Scotland's national charging network to break up". fastcharge.email. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  7. ↑ Middleton, Natalie (17 December 2024). "Scottish government opens consultation on charging plans". EV Fleet World. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "ChargePlace Scotland joins Paua EV charge card 30/06/2022". Charge Place Scotland. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  9. ↑ "ChargePlace Scotland joins Paua EV charge card". paua.com. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "ChargePlace Scotland charging stations explained". We Power Your Car. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  11. ↑ "Scotland faces EV charging 'postcode lottery' as yearly costs revealed". The Scottish Sun. 27 October 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  12. ↑ "j457836-07 | Transport Scotland". www.transport.gov.scot. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  13. ↑ "SWARCO eVolt to operate ChargePlace Scotland | Transport Scotland". www.transport.gov.scot. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  14. ↑ Meiklem, Peter John (27 August 2021). "ChargePlace Scotland: Why the 'world's largest' electric vehicle switchover turned into a 'disaster' and how a Dundee team are trying to fix it". The Courier. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.