Scottish local authorities have electrified more fleet vehicles than the rest of the UK, with around 17% of the fleet now electric. Since 2014, Transport Scotland has given over £60 million to help Scottish public sector bodies decarbonise their fleets. Although there are still significant challenges, the electric vehicles and charging infrastructure market has advanced. Local authorities now need to move away from relying on grant funding. 

The following grants are still available from the UK Government: 

• The Plug-in Grant covers wheelchair-accessible vehicles, motorcycles, taxis, vans, and trucks. The seller applies the discount at the point of purchase. The discount varies depending on the type and weight of the vehicle (from £500 for a motorcycle, up to £25,000 for a large truck). 

• The Workplace Charging Scheme covers the cost of charging infrastructure, up to £350 per socket. Applicants can claim a maximum of 40 sockets for fleet use, staff use, or both. 

This section covers strategies public bodies can take when procuring fleets to make decarbonisation economically viable without grant funding. This includes improving vehicle efficiency, implementing whole-life cost appraisals, and alternative funding for charging infrastructure.