A £2.6m scheme will see points installed across the country and in people's homes.

SWNS

Scotland will have charging points for electric cars every 50 miles on trunk roads.

Announced on Wednesday, the government plans to introduce a £2.6m scheme to install home charging points for free as well as a network of public charging points.

Transport Scotland will contribute £750,000 towards the scheme, which it is hoped will help the country meet their target of having only electric vehicles on the roads by 2050.

Funding will be provided to put points in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth, Stirling, Ayrshire, Fife, North and South Lanarkshire. Park and rides, leisure centres, libraries and public car parks will be used as the location.

Ferry terminals at Tarbert, Oban, Harris and Islay will also have rapid charges installed, allowing motorists to top up to an 80% charge in half an hour.

A website, ChargePlace, will plot all the points as well as telling people how they can get grants to buy an electric vehicle.

The announcement was made by transport minister Keith Brown on Wednesday.

He said: "Scotland has long been at the forefront of world-changing innovation, be it penicillin or television, and I want to ensure we are leading where the rest of the world will soon follow on electric vehicles.

"This funding looks to the future - a low carbon future with, to an electric revolution on our roads where people can charge their carbon-neutral cars at home, drive them to their local station and jump on an electric train to their workplace, which will also have charging points for the days they need to take the car to work.

"Or tourists can decide to take an EV driving tour around Scotland, safe in the knowledge they are never too far from a charger. And can hop on a ferry knowing they can charge up at the other end if needed."

Over the past two years, the government has put £8m towards electric vehicles and infrastructure and Scotland’s public services have bought 270 low carbon vehicles.

Mr Brown added: "The move to EVs is good for our environment, helping to cut carbon emissions and reduce noise pollution, and will also benefit drivers who will pleased to hear about the cheaper running costs. You can get from Edinburgh to Glasgow on a single charge for around £1.50 and right now electric vehicles are exempt from road tax."

"I look forward to the day when the only vehicles on Scotland's roads are electric vehicles, and this funding will be a massive step towards that vision."

You can check where your nearest charge point is on the national registry website, which will be updated with new locations.