Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch and member of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment (RACCE) Committee used a RACCE meeting with the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Aileen McLeod, on the 11th of November, to highlight that if transport emissions are to be significantly reduced then crucial transport issues must be addressed.
The Highland MSP called for more “rapid” charge points in rural areas, so cars can be charged in around half an hour, meaning the general public will see them as a practical alternative to fossil fuels. In turn, he hopes Scotland’s carbon footprint will be reduced.
Dave highlighted his recent order of an eco-friendly Electric Nissan Leaf car from Dicksons of Inverness with a real range of around 115 miles. They are easy to charge at home and, as part of his research he discovered that on the way to Skye from Inverness, there is a “rapid” (50kw) charge point at Drumnadrochit, which is just 15 miles from Inverness and “rapid” charge points in Broadford and Uig, but he wants to see many more. There are also “fast” (24kw) charge points but it takes several hours to charge, meaning people who might be interested in an electric car are put off by the excessive and inconvenient waiting time.
Mr Thompson said, “I hope to be a wee bit more practical. I first drove an electric vehicle more than 50 years ago when I was 15 years old. It was in a baker’s delivery van at 6 o’clock in the morning in Lossie, when traffic was light and the driver let me have a go.
“Fifty years later, I have just ordered myself an electric vehicle, which I will pick up in December. The range of such vehicles is extending all the time and the batteries are improving all the time. I am told that, in practical terms, they have a realistic range of about 115 miles in good conditions, although official figures suggest that it is 150 miles. I have bought a Nissan Leaf from Dicksons in Inverness, which I will pick up next month”.
“In the Highlands and in rural areas, there are not that many rapid charge points. There are fast charge points, but it takes several hours to charge a car at a fast charge point. At rapid charge points, it can be done in half an hour to an hour. If we are to tackle climate change and reduce emissions in the Highlands, we must deal with transport”.
“I like to think I am ahead of the curve and an electric car will be the normal mode of transport in the future but more rapid charge points will be required to make this dream a reality”.
Dave went on, “It is pleasing that the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Aileen McLeod, will be writing to the Minister for Transport and the Islands, Derek Mackay, to relay my thoughts on the matter, including my view that there should be better coordination and mapping of where the charge points actually are”.
Jim Mackenzie, Sales Director at Dicksons said, “We are delighted to be supplying Dave with his Nissan Leaf. I am sure that after thorough research, Dave has found the most suitable electric vehicle for his business and personal travel round and about the Highlands. We look forward to providing excellent service and welcoming Dave to the Dicksons family”.
Notes:
Dave’s exchange with the Minister at the RACCE Committee meeting on the 11th of November below:
Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP): Good morning, minister and officials.
On the question of reaching targets, I hope to be a wee bit more practical and perhaps even parochial. I first drove an electric vehicle more than 50 years ago when I was 15 years old—it was a baker’s delivery van. There was not much traffic on the roads in Lossie in those days, so it was quite safe—it was early morning—even though it was illegal. Fifty years later, I have just ordered myself an electric vehicle, which I hope to get in December. The range of such vehicles is extending all the time and the batteries are improving all the time. I am told that, in practical terms, they have a range of about 110 miles, although official figures suggest that it is 150 miles. I have bought a Nissan Leaf from Dicksons in Inverness.
In the Highlands and in rural areas, there are not that many rapid charge points. There are fast charge points, but it takes hours to charge a car at a fast charge point. At rapid charge points, it can be done in half an hour to an hour. If we are to tackle climate change and reduce emissions in the Highlands, we must deal with transport, because there has been only a 2.1 per cent reduction in transport emissions. Many folk in the Highlands have two cars, not because they are particularly wealthy but because it is necessary to have more than one vehicle to get anywhere for work or leisure. Therefore, it is important that we ensure that folk in the Highlands and Islands in particular, as well as people in other remote and rural areas, have access to rapid charge points. The biggest problem for the folk who are selling electric cars is the public’s lack of confidence in their ability to get to where they want to go.
For instance, on the way to Skye from Inverness, there is a rapid charge point at Drumnadrochit, which is just 15 miles from Inverness, but someone who was making that journey would not need it then. There are also rapid charge points in Broadford and Uig. I congratulate the Government and CalMac Ferries, because five of the 10 rapid charge points across the Highlands and Islands are at ferry terminals. That is certainly helping the situation.
What plans do you have to increase the provision of rapid charge points? Unless someone intends to spend five or six hours in a town, which is how long it will take them to charge their vehicle using a fast charge point, they need a rapid charge point, which will charge their car in half an hour to an hour. That is a much more realistic period of time. However, I am told that it costs £20,000 to install a rapid charge point, and businesses—particularly small businesses—cannot afford that. How can we increase the number of rapid charge points not just in the cities, where I am quite sure that they will appear naturally, but in the remote and rural areas, where it is even more important to get folk using electric vehicles rather than combustion engines?
Aileen McLeod: Dave Thompson makes a number of good and helpful points. As someone who represents a very large and remote rural area, I absolutely agree. I will be happy to take away some of those points and to write to the Minister for Transport and Islands, Derek Mackay.
We have invested £11 million in the development of the chargeplace Scotland network of electric vehicle charge points, which now comprises over 400 units. That equates to over 800 public charging bays and many more are being commissioned over the coming months. Work is also continuing to provide high-powered rapid chargers on strategic routes that connect Scotland’s towns and cities.
Dave Thompson: I understand that, when someone looks on the web for those chargers, there is a plethora of little dots showing where the points are in urban areas. However, we need to get more in the rural areas, where people travel greater distances. The range of electric vehicles is increasing and some can cover 100 miles on one charge, but the smaller vehicles will not do that and that is a real disincentive in trying to get people in the Highlands and Islands to use electric vehicles. In a sense, the cities will take care of themselves. We need to develop the rapid charge points—not the fast charge points—where somebody can stop for a coffee and have an 80 per cent charge within half an hour, not six or seven hours later, because that is not practical. I plead with you and the transport minister that the roll-out needs to be focused more on rural areas, where there is greater need.
Aileen McLeod: I accept that point. We are working with our partners to deliver actions from our electric vehicles road map, “Switched On Scotland: A Roadmap to Widespread Adoption of Plug-in Vehicles”, but I agree that we should try to roll that out more in our rural areas.
Dave Thompson: I have one final question on that point. Private organisations are involved in the supply of the charge points, and I am not sure that there is a proper, co-ordinated system for promoting where all the different points are. Some websites show only certain rapid charge points rather than all of them. Could the minister and others have a wee look at getting better co-ordination and better advertising of where the rapid charge points are?
Aileen McLeod: Yes. We are happy to do that.
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10204
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