Scotland announces £85m funding for EV incentives and charging

The 2026/27 Scottish Budget has provisions for £85 million of funding for EV charging infrastructure as well as new EV incentives. It's part of a wider £4.3 billion to be spend on public and low carbon transport.

Details are still light here; the Transport section of the new draft Budget simply states that the government plans to invest £85 million in ‘low carbon programmes including expanding public EV charging infrastructure and supporting zero-emission vehicles’.

What this looks like isn’t exactly clear; there’s no confirmation yet that the Scottish government will actively invest in charging hubs. Currently, the only provision – according to the Budget documents – is that it will use its non-domestic rates tax regime to introduce 100 percent tax relief on ‘qualifying’ EV charging points for 10 years. This tax relief will begin from 1 April 2026.

There may be more to follow, however. Speaking at an E.ON Drive charging station in Stirling, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “We know that we need to reduce emissions and support a Just Transition to net zero by 2045 – that’s why, in 2026-27 we will provide £85 million to fund new and continuing low carbon activities, including further developing Scotland’s EV charging network and new incentives to continue to support customers and businesses to make the switch to electric vehicles.”

The provisions for EVs sit alongside much wider investment for sustainable travel. £316 million is allocated for ‘sustainable modes of transport’ here meaning ‘walking, wheeling and cycling for shorter journeys’.

transport.gov.scot