Comparing public and private approaches to funding depot charging infrastructure

Most public sector depot charging infrastructure has been funded by Transport Scotland grant funding or internal capital budgets. Since 2014, Transport Scotland has provided over £60 million in funding for fleet decarbonisation. As a result, there are now more than 3,500 zero emission vehicles on the road and over 800 EV chargepoints for fleets.

As less funding becomes available, public sector bodies (PSBs) should consider how to fund future depot charging infrastructure expansion. If budgets allow, self-funding is often the most cost-effective option, especially with the potential ownership cost savings of EVs. However, with uncertain future budgets, it’s important to look at other financing options.   

As well as the cost of expanding infrastructure, it’s important to consider the other challenges of public sector depot charging. These include skills, labour, maintenance, and management. 

This guidance looks at the main public and private funding options for PSBs. Not all options are available or suitable for every PSB. However, there are clear pros and cons for both public and private financing models. This guidance will outline these and explain when each model might be the better choice.