SCOTLAND is leading the way in providing convenient and affordable access to electric vehicles through pay-as-you-drive electric car clubs.

Funding from Transport Scotland has facilitated the introduction of an additional 58 new electric car club vehicles.

This substantial number of new vehicles means that there will be more electric car club vehicles in Scotland than the rest of the UK combined.

There are already 15 electric car club vehicles operated by car clubs in urban and rural communities across Scotland.

The introduction of these new electric vehicles will ensure the vast majority of Scotland’s 8,000 car club members will have convenient and affordable access to an electric vehicle without the hassle and expense of owning one.

The funding will also kick start a new car club in St Andrews and introduce the car club concept to North Berwick in East Lothian, and Stonehaven, Banchory and Inverurie in Aberdeenshire.

Transport Minister Keith Brown said: “I am pleased that the £1 million funding I announced earlier this year has helped to introduce over 50 electric car club vehicles across the country.

“We are always looking for ways to allow more drivers to experience what it is like to drive these vehicles and car clubs provide an excellent way to achieve this.”

Car Club Development Manager Matthew Eastwood said: “The Scottish Government has set some very ambitious targets for decarbonizing road transport by 2050, car clubs can play a key role helping to achieve this target and popularizing the use of EVs by providing convenient and affordable shared access to zero emission electric car club vehicles, without the need to own one.”