John O'Groats starting point for electric vehicle charging network card system
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A new one-card system making it easier for electric vehicle (EV) drivers to connect to Scotland’s charging network is being piloted next week – starting in Caithness.
The roaming platform will allow access and billing across multiple charging systems. It will be trialled at the Great British EV Rally which sets off from John O’Groats to Land’s End on Monday.
The Paua platform, supported by Transport Scotland, is expected to be rolled out across the UK soon.
Paua, the largest independent EV roaming network developer, has partnered with ChargePlace Scotland (CPS), Scotland’s national EV charging network.
The platform enables private and business EV drivers to access multiple Scottish charging networks.
Chris Waldron, head of low-carbon consumers at Transport Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have entered this partnership with Paua. The Scottish Government is firmly committed to transport decarbonisation and we see roaming as a key step in improving driver experience.
“The GB EV Rally is the perfect event for trialling network roaming across ChargePlace Scotland."
Niall Riddell, chief executive officer and co-founder of Paua, said: “Electric vehicle drivers today face a challenge when they want to charge on multiple networks as they need to contract with each one separately – and this is a particular problem for business and fleet drivers.”
The new charge-point system has been welcomed by the Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) Scotland.
Its director Neil MacLennan said: “Making the EV charging and billing process for drivers simple to understand and easy to operate is essential for both the day-to-day user experience and a practical perspective when it comes to cross-system connectivity and billing.
"These are the key factors in persuading both the ordinary EV motorist and the fleet operators who are eager to make the transition to all-electric transportation to do so.
“EVA Scotland has advocated for a roaming service that brings together a unified system which reduces the number of cards, apps and tariffs EV drivers currently have to juggle.
“Having one charge card that allows access across all networks has to be the answer. We are encouraged by this partnership and believe it represents a unique opportunity to improve EV drivers’ charging experience.”
Vehicles taking part in the five-day Great British EV Rally will gather at the Castle of Mey before continuing to Groats.
The event follows on from the EV Rally of Scotland last November which coincided with the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow. The aim was to showcase EVs as a viable alternative to traditional petrol and diesel vehicles.
ChargePlace has been developed by the Scottish Government and funded in partnership through a public grant from local authorities and other organisations.
