Scotland has experienced a record year for electric car sales as Glasgow, the country’s biggest city, moves closer to charging drivers of the most polluting vehicles. Data from the motor trade suggests that almost one in ten cars bought in 2022 will be fully electric.
From next June all vehicles entering Glasgow city centre will have to meet pollution standards. Drivers whose vehicles do not comply face a penalty of up to £60. In 2018 the city put in place a low emissions zone (LEZ) for buses to try to improve air quality. This will be extended to cover other motor vehicles. The enforcement does not mean all petrol and diesel cars will be banned but drivers of older models are likely to face a charge.
Petrol vehicles built after 2006 and diesels registered after 2015 will probably have to be clean enough to avoid a payment.
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The Glasgow LEZ will be bounded by the M8 road to the north and west, the Clyde to the south and the Saltmarket and High Street area to the east. “Glasgow’s low emission zone is an essential measure to protect public health,” Glasgow council said. It said its scheme would accelerate the uptake of cleaner vehicles.
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Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh are to introduce LEZs next year.
Scots bought more fully electric vehicles last year, the Scottish Motor Trade Association said. In 2020, 7,313 vehicles were sold, less than 6 per cent of the total, but this rose to 10,771 (8 per cent) in 2021. In the first 11 months of last year 12,965 electric cars were sold — 9.8 per cent of all Scottish sales.
While electric vehicles are gaining in popularity, petrol cars still account for the biggest percentage.
Neil Swanson, the director of the Electric Vehicle Association Scotland, said: “The trend for electric vehicles is going only one way and that is up. It is encouraging to see many commercial fleet operators rising to the challenge by transitioning to electric vehicles not only to reduce harmful gases, but to take advantage of the financial benefits that going all-electric can bring to their operational costs.”
Concern has been raised about the reliability of Scotland’s public electric vehicle charging network and the growth needed to meet demand. One area that needs to be assessed is how to offer mass charging in urban areas.
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Swanson added: “We look forward to hearing what local authorities propose. We welcome LEZs, which give residents and visitors to cities and towns cleaner air, quieter streets and the incentives to use public and active travel.”
