Migration to begin for public EV charging units in north of Scotland

From next week, council-operated public EV charging units in Highland, Moray, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire will begin migration from ChargePlace Scotland to EZO as part of the north of Scotland EV charging infrastructure partnership.

The large-scale EV infrastructure project is a partnership between Highland, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils and will accelerate the region’s transition to Net Zero with the installation of 570 new charging points across the north of Scotland by 2028, more than doubling the existing EV infrastructure and further enhancing the region’s charging network.

Transport Scotland committed more than £7 million of funding to enable the partnership as part of the Scottish Government’s £30 million Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund which enables local authorities to work with the private sector to deliver a high-quality public EV charging network across all of Scotland.

EZO (formerly EasyGo) was awarded a 20-year contract in May to provide EV charging infrastructure for the north of Scotland which includes adopting and maintaining all existing council-owned public charging points in the region. Migration of existing units will take place from September 2025 to January 2026, bringing a consistent tariff structure across all four local authorities and an improved service for drivers.

Councillor Ken Gowans, Vice Convener of The Highland Council said: “It’s fantastic to see this collaborative project progressing at speed as we now move towards the migration of existing charging units throughout the north of Scotland. All high-power chargers will be migrated in the first phase which will ensure continuity of service for drivers and a more reliable service with increased uptime. Over the next 18 months, the number of charging units on the network will double, allowing us to better serve communities in underserved regions in both urban and rural areas. We look forward to working closely with EZO and our neighbouring local authorities on this expansion which will create a reliable, accessible and comprehensive EV charging network.”

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “The new electric vehicles (EV) charging system covering the North of Scotland will make a real difference for people with EVs. It will also contribute towards Aberdeen City Council’s target of achieving net zero.”

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard said: “It is good to see the migration happening at pace and we look forward to the next stage of the project.”

Cllr Anne Stirling, Co-Leader of Aberdeenshire Council, said: “This marks a hugely significant step forward for our communities across the north of Scotland. We know how important it is to improve access to charging in under-served areas and to build confidence in the network and the transition to EZO will help us create a more consistent and reliable service for drivers.”

Co-Leader of Aberdeenshire Council, Cllr Stewart Adams added: “Through this ambitious partnership, 570 new charging points will be installed by 2028, more than doubling existing provision and ensuring a fairer, more reliable service for motorists. I am confident that this collaborative approach will accelerate the shift to electric vehicles, support our transition to Net Zero, and promote greater equality of access across both rural and urban communities.”

Councillor Kathleen Robertson, Leader of Moray Council, said: “To see this work transforming our EV charging infrastructure at pace is an extremely important development in meeting our climate charge targets and aims. As we continue our collaborative efforts across the North East and Highlands I look forward to seeing the network grow even further and serve our communities who continue their own efforts to reduce carbon emissions.”

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “I'm pleased that work to expand EV charging infrastructure in the north of Scotland is progressing at pace.

"Supported by over £7 million of Scottish Government investment, this large-scale EV infrastructure partnership across four local authorities continues to innovate and reflect our ambition to expand the availability and reliability of public EV charging.

"As we transition away from Charge Place Scotland, in line with our published vision for public charging infrastructure, this regional partnership demonstrates how we can partner with the private sector to deliver a robust and accessible charging network to support Scotland’s net zero ambitions."

EZO recently rebranded from EasyGo as part of its expansion throughout the UK and Ireland and operates over 4,500 chargers across more than 1,500 locations.

EZO CEO Ollie Chatten said: “EZO is committed to delivering a more reliable, better-serviced network that meets the needs of drivers across the north of Scotland. Our mission is to improve the customer experience at every step – from well-maintained chargers to easier ways to pay and charge. To make the most of the new service, we encourage drivers to download the EZO app in advance, links are available on our website at ezo.co.uk. This is just the start of our investment in building a robust and user-friendly charging network for the region.”

New tariffs

For up-to-date tariff information and overstay fees, please refer to www.ezo.co.uk.