EV Risk Intelligence
in Scotland 2026
A postcode-level analysis of electric vehicle infrastructure risk across Scottish communities. 160,630 postcodes scored across 15 regions using government and statutory data.
What the data shows
Scotland has invested more in public EV charging than any other UK nation. It hit its 6,000 chargepoint target two years early. Yet the data reveals a persistent geographic divide: urban Scotland is broadly well served, while rural and island communities remain acutely underserved. This report sets out where risk is concentrated, where infrastructure gaps are widest, and where the evidence points most clearly to unmet need.
The highest-risk region in Scotland, peaking at a score of 34 in G2. High collision counts, traffic volumes, and urban density drive the risk profile. Also the best-served region for charging infrastructure with an average of 116.6 chargers within 5km and just 0.7 miles to the nearest rapid charger.
Scotland's capital scores an average of 1.7 with a maximum of 25. Infrastructure provision is strong at 70.4 chargers within 5km on average and 0.8 miles to the nearest rapid charger. The lowest IMD decile in this analysis at 6.4, reflecting the relatively lower deprivation levels across much of Edinburgh compared to other Scottish cities.
The Highlands present the most acute urban-rural infrastructure divide in mainland Scotland. With an average of only 13.9 chargers within 5km and a nearest rapid charger distance of 2.9 miles, communities across a vast geographic area face practical barriers to EV adoption that no amount of risk data can resolve without targeted investment.
The most underserved region on the Scottish mainland. Average risk score of 1.3, just 9.4 chargers within 5km on average, and a nearest rapid charger distance of 3.8 miles. Dumfries and Galloway combines low deployment risk with some of the worst rapid charging access in Scotland.
Shetland has the longest average distance to a rapid charger of any Scottish region at 3.6 miles. With a maximum risk score of just 1 and 13.6 chargers within 5km on average, the islands present an extreme version of the low-risk, low-infrastructure pattern seen across rural Scotland. Island communities are more dependent on private vehicle use than anywhere on the mainland.
The Outer Hebrides scores the lowest average risk in this analysis at 1.0 with a maximum score of 1. With only 7.4 chargers within 5km on average and a nearest rapid charger at 4.4 miles, the islands face the most acute charging access challenge per capita of any Scottish region. The Rural and Island Infrastructure Fund announced in 2025 targets exactly this kind of provision gap.
Where risk is concentrated in Scotland
All of the highest-scoring postcodes in Scotland are in Glasgow city centre. No Scottish postcode reaches the High or Critical bands that apply to parts of London and other major English cities, reflecting Scotland's lower urban density and vehicle crime profile.
| Postcode | Area | Score | Band | IMD Decile | Collisions | Chargers (5km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G2 5AD | Glasgow City Centre | 34 | Medium | 2 | 31 | 95 |
| G2 3EZ | Glasgow City Centre | 28 | Medium | 8 | 30 | 96 |
| G2 4HU | Glasgow City Centre | 28 | Medium | 8 | 30 | 97 |
| G2 4HZ | Glasgow City Centre | 28 | Medium | 8 | 29 | 97 |
| G2 5LD | Glasgow City Centre | 28 | Medium | 2 | 32 | 95 |
Low risk. No chargers.
Scotland has invested more in public EV charging infrastructure than any other UK nation. The £30 million Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, launched in 2022, helped Scotland hit its 6,000 chargepoint target two years ahead of schedule. A further £17.8 million has been committed for 2026 to 2027, including a dedicated Rural and Island Infrastructure Fund.
Despite this investment, the same pattern emerges as in other UK nations. The areas with the highest risk scores are the best served by charging infrastructure. The areas with the lowest risk and the greatest need for public charging access remain the most underserved.
In Scotland, the geographic scale of this gap is particularly acute. Shetland residents face an average journey of 3.6 miles to a rapid charger. Outer Hebrides residents face 4.4 miles. Dumfries and Galloway, the most underserved mainland region, averages 3.8 miles. These are not minor inconveniences. For communities without off-street parking or access to home charging, they represent a structural barrier to EV adoption.
Shetland has the lowest average risk score in Scotland and an average distance to rapid charging of 3.6 miles. Dumfries and Galloway has the worst mainland provision at 3.8 miles with 9.4 chargers within 5km. These are not market failures. They are the predictable outcome of commercial deployment logic applied to geographies that require public intervention.
Average Distance to Nearest Rapid Charger
Where the data points
The data identifies Shetland, the Outer Hebrides, and Dumfries and Galloway as the three regions with the greatest gap between deployment risk and infrastructure provision. All three combine low risk scores with rapid charger distances that make EV adoption impractical for many residents. The Scottish Government's Rural and Island Infrastructure Fund, with grants of up to £60,000 per charging unit, is designed precisely for these locations. The data in this report provides a defensible, postcode-level evidence base to prioritise funding allocation within and across these regions.
The wind-down of ChargePlace Scotland and transition to commercial operators creates a real risk of coverage gaps in areas where commercial viability is marginal. ScottishPower's appointment as operator for Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, and Argyll and Bute is a positive step. However, the fragmentation of the network across multiple operators, apps, and tariff structures increases complexity for drivers and fleet managers. Transport Scotland should monitor rural coverage levels through the transition period and be prepared to intervene where commercial operators withdraw from low-utilisation sites.
Scotland's EVIF requires local authorities to develop EV charging strategies before accessing capital funding. Postcode-level risk and infrastructure data gives procurement teams a defensible, auditable basis for site selection, business case development, and grant applications. Deploying infrastructure into locations without adequate risk assessment increases the probability of vandalism, theft, and out-of-service incidents that undermine network reliability and public confidence.
Glasgow already has the highest charger density in Scotland with an average of 116.6 chargers within 5km. Further expansion of slow charging in the city centre would add marginal value. Investment should instead target the deprived postcodes within Glasgow that lack rapid charging access, particularly G2 5AD and surrounding postcodes where IMD decile 2 deprivation combines with Scotland's highest collision counts.
Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government should consider commissioning a formal risk-adjusted infrastructure strategy that maps deployment priority against risk scores, deprivation, and rapid charger proximity at postcode level. The data to support such a framework already exists and can be accessed through the EVInsight API.
Every factor in this analysis derives from Environment Agency, ONS, DfT, Scottish Government SIMD, HM Land Registry, and OpenStreetMap data. Scottish crime data is sourced from SIMD crime indicators. All sources are licensed under the Open Government Licence v3 or equivalent. EVInsight is an ICO Registered Data Controller (ZC106985).
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Published April 2026 · EVInsight · evinsight.co.uk