Green firms seek to electrify Holyrood election campaign

TWO of the biggest Scottish players in the electric vehicle market are calling on political parties north of the Border to help the industry "step up a gear" ahead of this year's Holyrood elections.

• A Peugeot Tepee converted to electric power by Allied Vehicles is put through its paces in Glasgow Picture: PA

Glasgow-based Allied Vehicles and Dundee battery maker Axeon have joined forces with environmental charity WWF Scotland to push for the roll-out of more electric vehicles (EVs) and public charging points.

The trio has challenged political parties to outline how they would help deliver the "widespread and rapid take-up of EVs" as part of their manifesto commitments in the run-up to May's Scottish Parliament elections.

Paul Nelson, Allied Electric's managing director, said that, as well as the environmental benefits of EVs, the growing industry could also offer a jobs boost.

"This is a technology that has the potential to create hundreds of much-needed manufacturing jobs right here in Scotland," Nelson said.

"Scotland's renewable potential must be matched by a strong committment to electric vehicles.

We have the fantastic opportunity to be powering our cars with green electricty by 2020 that we cannot afford to miss."

Axeon - which is one of Europe's biggest producers of Lithium-ion battery packs for EVs - is already well placed to capitalise on the industry's expansion.

Chief executive Lawrence Berns said: "Our battery and charger systems are designed and manufactured to exacting automotive standards in Scotland, drawing on many years of battery experience."

The three organisations welcomed the actions taken by Scottish ministers last year - including public funding for EVs and their charging points - but warned that there was still "much to do".

WWF Scotland claimed that emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from road transport continued to rise.

The three partners also called on the Scottish Government to publish its "long-awaited" low carbon vehicle action plan, the consultation for which ended in October 2009.

Dr Sam Gardner, WWF Scotland's climate policy officer, said: "While much more transport spending must be redirected to encourage people to walk, cycle or use public transport, we must also take steps to reduce emissions from those cars that do remain.

"Alongside measures to get people out of their cars, a switch to electric vehicles is going to be an essential part of tackling climate change."

A report published in April by WWF Scotland claimed that at least one in ten vehicles on Scotland's roads must be electrically powered if the country is to reach its target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 42 per cent by 2020.WWF Scotland said it is commissioning research to look at the opportunities available to both central and local government to support the necessary increase in electric cars on Scotland's roads.

Pilot programmes with EVs are already taking place across the UK. In Scotland, Glasgow City Council has joined forces with partners including ScottishPower, Allied Vehicles and Axeon to trial 40 EVs and supporting infrastructure. Drivers were chosen by the city council to try out the cars, which can be charged at home or at 40 public charging points.

Data from the EVs will be analysed at Strathclyde University and fed into a study about the up-take of electric vehicles, using details from eight other pilot schemes around the UK.

Allied Vehicles has already been working on converting standard production cars into EVs, including Peugeot's Expert Tepee people carrier and Partner saloon.