Housing associations will be able to apply for funding in a new scheme ‘Plugged-In Households’ with financial backing from the Scottish Government . Residents will be able to hire electric cars when they are needed.
Electric vehicles on show at the Orkney International Science Festival
It allows people to no longer have to own a private vehicle but to hire an electric one when required.
The fund will be administered by Energy Saving Trust.
Matthew Eastwood, Head of Transport at Energy Saving Trust said:
“Plugged-in Households enables access to electric vehicles irrespective of income or location. Not-for-profit housing associations and co-operatives in Scotland can apply for grant funding to procure the services of a zero emission car club for use by their tenants, their own use and that of the wider local community.
“Workshops are taking place in Glasgow on 22 October, Edinburgh on 24 October and Inverness on 26 October for interested housing associations and cooperatives to attend and learn more. Application forms and further information including eligibility criteria are available on the Energy Saving Trust website, the deadline for applications is 19 December.”
The Scottish Government already has interest free loans to give more drivers the opportunity to experience electric and plug-in hybrids and this is an additional £700,000 investment fund from Transport Scotland.
Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Connectivity and Infrastructure in the Scottish Government said:
“The Scottish Government has an ambition to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032 and to do this we need to widen access to electric vehicles to communities across the nation.
“Plugged-in Households is an innovative way of doing this. It will give both housing association tenants and local residents the opportunity to access electric vehicles as they are required, instead of drivers having to buy vehicles out-right. It will also help address concerns around access to off-street charging infrastructure and the affordability of ULEVs.
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Why should this deal only be open to Housing Association tenants??? Smacks of inequality to me, how about village associations of private owners of property???
I would also add to my comment above that as most housing associations are in urban areas with excellent bus, train, tram and underground trains there is greater need for this in rural areas where buses are few and far between, if at all!