AN EXPANSION of electric vehicle charging has been announced for the Ayrshire region. 

Ahead of a visit to Ayr as part of his Travelling Cabinet, First Minister John Swinney announced a £6.3 million investment from the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund.

This will lead to the introduction of approximately 3,550 new public EV charge points across Ayrshire and Glasgow.

The First Minister has also welcomed confirmation from charge point data provider ZapMap that Scotland has already reached its target of installing more than 6,000 public EV charge points, two years ahead of the 2026 target.

The First Minister and transport secretary Fiona Hyslop will visit an electric vehicle charging hub in South Ayrshire where they will meet representatives from EV infrastructure company IONITY.

The cabinet will then meet at Ayr Town Hall, which will be followed by a public discussion with local residents.

The First Minister said: "Today’s announcement is clear evidence of our commitment to making sustainable travel accessible for everyone in Scotland.

“We need to maintain this rapid progress, working in greater partnership with the private sector to accelerate the pace and scale of delivery right across the country.

"By fast-tracking EV infrastructure, we’re paving the way for a net-zero Scotland while advancing our goal to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

“This is a key example of how the Scottish Government is focused on delivering on our key priorities and I am looking forward to hearing from people in Ayr about how we can continue to deliver for them.

“Connecting with communities across the country enables us to make informed decisions as we strive to create a wealthier, fairer and greener Scotland.”

Transport secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “In 2023, we published our vision for public EV charging infrastructure, highlighting the key role the private sector will play in delivering Scotland’s future EV charging requirements for public charging.

“Through our £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund we are continuing to support public EV charging; providing Local Authorities with funding to enable them to work in partnership with the private sector to continue to expand public EV charging across Scotland.

“This approach is paying dividends – ensuring faster delivery and greater reliability of public charge points across the country. I’m pleased to welcome the matched investment from businesses such as IONITY which is helping to scale up the provision of public EV charging across Scotland.”