Scotland's ambition to enable the delivery of 24,000 additional public charge points by 2030 has been boosted by a new funding award.

The Scottish Government awarded £6.3 million to a group of eight local authorities to improve public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in the south of Scotland.

The funding, the final award from the £30 million Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, will support the installation of 1,770 additional public charge points across the region, with the councils working in partnership with the private sector. The South of Scotland Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund project is being led by the City of Edinburgh Council and includes Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, Falkirk, Fife, Midlothian, Scottish Borders and West Lothian Councils.

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Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, said the funding will help "attract further private investment" and was designed to target public funds for areas less likely to benefit from stand-alone private investment. This includes more rural parts of Scotland, some of which will be served by this project.

Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, Transport and Environment Convener at Edinburgh Council, said the strength of the regional partnership will allow for a more effective process that ensures "consistent service standards, charging tariffs, and equitable access for communities across the South of Scotland."

Councillor Jenny Linehan, from Scottish Borders Council, added that the investment marks a "significant step forward" for the region, enabling the delivery of an expanded EV charging network across rural areas. Scotland already has one of the most comprehensive public charging networks in the UK, with over 7,100 public charge points, having met its previous target of 6,000 in October 2024, two years ahead of schedule.