Is Kintyre an electric vehicle charging black spot?

Despite loving the concept of electric vehicles (EVs), which are believed to be better for the environment, a Kintyre woman is considering selling hers and returning to a hybrid engine car due to a lack of compatible chargers in the area.

 

Tayinloan resident Sheena MacKinnon cannot go on a day-trip to Glasgow as her car does not have battery capacity to complete the journey without stopping for a charge, and it connects to just one rapid charger between Campbeltown and Scotland's largest city – located in Campbeltown.

 

An Argyll and Bute Council spokesperson said the authority was aware of a gap between Campbeltown and Lochgilphead and was progressing plans to have more charging units installed.

 

“I love the concept of electric cars,” Sheena told the Courier, “I love that they are the way forward and may be better for the planet, but I'm seriously thinking of going back to a combination engine car.

 

“Battery capacity on new cars is improving, but it's not quite good enough yet. As it stands, I can’t go to Glasgow for the day, and, with the city's new emissions zone, you can’t get a charger not in use when you get there.

 

“If battery capacity is not greatly increased so rural drivers can do a round trip without too much hassle, then EVs are not going to work in rural areas.”

 

"attachment_967222" "aligncenter" "300"] Argyll and Bute Council is “working hard” to expand EV chargers across the region.

 

Sheena, who has family in Carradale, is also frustrated by the lack of a public charger anywhere on Kintyre's east coast, meaning she must plan to have her car fully charged before visiting the area.

 

Argyll and Bute Council provides 30 public EV chargers across the authority area, and has plans in place to install another 55 – including in Carradale – if funding can be secured from the Scottish Government’s new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund (EVIF).

 

It says this will provide for a mix of rapid fast and slow chargers at agreed locations, providing rapid charging capability every 30 minutes or so along the road network.

 

A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of a gap between Campbeltown and Lochgilphead which is why, outwith EVIF, we are progressing with plans to install a new rapid charger in Tarbert thanks to funding from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.

 

“Currently, at some locations we provide a rapid charger with both AC and DC capabilities where there is no other fast charger nearby. This is because some vehicles can only connect to the AC.

 

“In the case of the charger in Campbeltown, there are no other council-owned chargers in the area, so this is one that we have kept with both capabilities in order to provide a service to as many users as possible.”

 

South Kintyre councillor Tommy Macpherson has also raised concerns about EV charging “dead zones”, including Southend, which fail to meet the council's aim of having a rapid charging unit every 25-35 minutes apart.

 

The council spokesperson said the authority was “working hard” to expand EV chargers across Argyll and Bute, adding: “At present, plans have a cut off for villages with less than 1,000 population and/or less than 30 minutes from chargers.”

 

Councillor Macpherson said: “Like the Rural Growth Deal and Levelling Up funds, Kilmory [council headquarters] must garner the support and financial investment of the private sector or, as what is presently evident, will come up short in facilitating both our communities' and visitors' needs.

 

“Kilmory lacks the wherewithal in location and charging unit selection. At a peninsula level, you do not need to be on par with Wellington to see the strategic logic of a couple of units in Southend, Carradale and Tayinloan.”