The key Census question that would unlock the electric vehicle network in Scotland
The move linked to electric vehicles has been urged to help meet net zero targets
Electric vehicles (EVs) should be included in the next Scottish census for the first time to help encourage uptake and charging improvements, a consumer watchdog has urged.
Consumer Scotland wants people to be asked about the EVs they own in the official 2031 survey to provide a clearer picture of their distribution across the country and among different sections of the population.
Reducing emissions from vehicles is seen as crucial to Scotland meeting its 2045 net zero target. The Scottish Government wants to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2032.
Its Transport Scotland agency said licensing figures showed there were more than 86,000 battery electric cars and vans north of the Border in June. However, the body said the total number of EVs on Scotland’s roads was likely to be significantly higher because many vehicles were registered with England-based finance brokers.
Consumer Scotland said its research had revealed significant concerns over the availability of public charging, its cost and reliability.
Eleanor Mullan, its head of analysis, said: “Understanding where and how electric vehicles are being adopted is essential for planning the infrastructure and support consumers need.
“Without accurate data, there’s a risk that some communities will be left behind in the transition to cleaner transport. Including EV ownership in the 2031 census would give policymakers the evidence they need to make informed, fair decisions.”
Consumer Scotland also wants household income and council tax bands included in the census to help ensure fair charging for water, which is linked to the latter.
The recommendations were included in its response to a consultation into what topics to include in the census by National Records of Scotland, which conducts it on behalf of the Registrar General for Scotland.
The response stated: “We would support the inclusion of a measure capturing the number of EVs (cars) used by households in Scotland. There is currently no equivalent data collected, with electric vehicle numbers based primarily on sales data.
“There are limitations in using this data to understand not only the level of EV uptake, but also the geographic spread of this and how it interacts with other demographic variables.
“An understanding of this would support policy development work to ensure that consumers are not only appropriately encouraged to switch to EVs (essential in order to hit current net zero targets), but also are appropriately supported with essential infrastructure once they have made the switch.”
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Campaigners backed the move. Jenny Milne, director of the Scottish Rural and Islands Transport Community, said: “This information would help better plan and target investment to help support local economies, businesses, residents and visitors.
“In addition, it will help Scottish and local government officials support organisations delivering infrastructure in rural and island communities, as currently the data is lacking for full support to be provided.”
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