The Government EV grant options in Scotland are significantly different to other parts of the UK, offering additional financial support for Scottish residents keen on switching to electric cars.
In this guide, we’ll delve into the range of government grants available to Scottish residents, explore the specifics of electric car loans, and walk you through the application procedures and eligibility requirements.
Overview of EV Grants in Scotland
Scottish residents can apply for both the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) EV Chargepoint grant, the Energy Savings Trust (EST) Domestic Chargepoint Funding Scheme AND The Used Electric Vehicle Loan scheme.
The OZEV EV Chargepoint grant provides 75% (up to £350) of the cost of installing a new EV charger.
The EST Domestic Chargepoint Grant offers up to £400 off the cost of installing a new EV charger. This grant comes and goes depending on the availability of funding.
Recently, The Domestic Charge Point Grant reopened in September 2024, however as of January 2025 the Domestic Charge Point Funding in Scotland is fully allocated. This means that the budget has now been used up and closed to new applications. However, you can register your interest for future funding opportunities. If the fund reopens in the next financial year, you’ll be contacted directly. You can register interest on the energy saving trust website.
The Used Electric Vehicle Loan offers Scottish residents interest-free loans for purchasing used electric vehicles from approved dealerships
Low Carbon Transport Business Loan provides Scottish businesses with access to an interest-free loan of up to £150,000 to support the purchase of low and zero-emission vehicles, including electric cars, vans, and HGVs. This loan is repayable over six years and aims to reduce the carbon impact and fuel costs associated with business transport.
Support for Public and Community Transport is happening in Scotland as the Scottish Government is also focusing on supporting zero-emission community transport and car clubs, particularly in rural areas. This includes grants to establish car clubs and support the use of electric vehicles in community transport schemes.
The OZEV EV Chargepoint Grant
The Office for Zero Emission Vehicle (OZEV) EV Chargepoint grant works the same way in Scotland for the rest of the UK.
Here’s a summary of the primary considerations for Scottish residents applying for an OZEV EV Chargepoint grant:
- The EV Chargepoint grant is only available to flat owners, renters, landlords or businesses
- The grant will provide funding of 75% (up to £350) towards the cost of a new charging unit
- You cannot apply for the grant yourself, you should instead speak to an OZEV-approved home charger installation company, they will apply for the grant on your behalf and discount the cost from the final bill
- To be eligible for the grant you must meet the following criteria: Demonstrate that you are the property owner (or have permission from the owner), Demonstrate that you have off-street parking and proof that you own an eligible EV
If you live in Scotland you can apply for both the OZEV grant and
the Energy Saving Trust Domestic Chargepoint Funding Scheme
Energy Saving Trust Domestic Chargepoint Funding Scheme
The Energy Saving Trust (EST) is an independent organisation that helps people save energy and reduce their carbon footprint.
The EST administrate the Domestic Chargepoint Funding Scheme on behalf of the Scottish government. You sometimes hear the Domestic Chargepoint Funding Scheme referred to as the EST grant or the Energy Saving Trust grant, they are all referring to the same grant.
The Energy Saving Trust’s domestic charge point funding scheme in Scotland offers EV owners up to £400 towards the costs of purchasing and installing a home charge point for an electric vehicle. It is available for rural EV owners, used EV owners, and those who bought their EV through the Used Electric Vehicle loan.
Key Points to Note:
- To apply, you will need a quote for charge point installation and proof of your EV purchase or lease agreement.
- Ensure that your installer and the documents you provide meet the necessary requirements.
- Applications are processed swiftly, with a decision typically provided within 8 working days of submission.
Important Update: EST Grant Closed February 2024
It has been announced that the Domestic Chargepoint Funding Scheme has closed to new applications. This means that, for the time being, new applications for the grant cannot be processed. We understand that this news may be disappointing for those of you who were considering applying for the grant to install a new EV charger.
Grant Amounts and Eligibility
The Domestic Chargepoint Funding Scheme provides a grant of up to £400 off the cost of buying and installing a home EV charger. If you combine this with the OZEV grant you can receive funding of up to £750 towards the cost of a new electric car charger. There is a possibility that the fund may reopen next year, keep checking on their website for updates.
There are two groups that are eligible for the Domestic Chargepoint Funding Scheme in Scotland, Rural vehicle owners and Used electric vehicle owners. Let’s take a closer look at how each group can qualify for a grant:
Rural and remote vehicle owners
If you live in a rural part of Scotland or an Island you may be able to qualify for an EST grant as a rural and remote vehicle owner. The eligibility criteria for a rural and remote vehicle owner grant is divided into 4 sections:
- Remote rural areas
– You must live in an area with a population of fewer than 3,000 people
– There should be a drive time of between 30 minutes and 1 hour to a village or town with a population of over 10,000 people - Very remote rural areas
– You must live in an area with a population of fewer than 3,000 people
– There should be a drive time of over 1 hour to a village or town with a population of over 10,000 people - Very remote small towns
– You must live in an area with a population of between 3,000 and 9,999 people
– There should be a drive time of over 1 hour to a village or town with a population of over 10,000 people - Accessible rural areas
– You must live in an area with a population of fewer than 3,000 people
– There should be a drive time of fewer than 30 minutes to a village or town with a population of over 10,000 people
Eligibility is based on your postcode. Postcodes are segmented into categories and to be eligible you need to have a postcode from categories 5,6,7 or 8 (or an Island postcode).
You can check if you are eligible quickly using the Energy Saving Trust Postcode Checker. This is the approval message to look out for:
Postcode eligible
You may be eligible for funding. For more information, please read the eligibility criteria and grant funding process.
Used electric vehicle owners
In order to qualify as a used electric vehicle owner you will need to have purchased an EV through the EST’s Used Electric Vehicle Loan scheme. If you did purchase an EV via the electric car loan in Scotland, you will have received a complete set of instructions on how to move forward with your EST grant in your confirmation email.
How do I apply?
- Get a quote from an approved installer
Before you apply for a Domestic Chargepoint Grant you must get a quote from an installation company approved by both OZEV and the Energy Saving Trust.
Search for installation companies in your area and double-check with them before they provide a quote that they are approved for both OZEV and the Electric Vehicle Consumer Code for Home Chargepoints (EVCC). - Apply online to the Energy Saving Trust
Here is a link to the Energy Saving Trust Grant application form. You will need to provide a scanned copy of a quote from an approved home EV charger installation company. - Receive the grant offer
If your application has been successful you will receive a formal funding offer from the EST. Once this offer is in you can give the green light to your EV charger installation company to install your charger. It is important that they do not start the work before the official offer is in place, or this will invalidate the grant. - Receive the invoice and installation certificate
The installation company will provide you with an invoice for the work and an EV charger installation certificate (otherwise known as an Electrical Installation Certificate). Make sure you keep them both for the next step! - Complete the claim form online and upload the invoice and certificate.
Head over to the EST online grant portal and complete the grant form, upload both the invoice and the Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) and your claim will be processed.
Can I apply for both the rural resident and the used EV owner grant?
It is not possible to apply for both the rural resident and the used EV owner grant. Even if you qualify as a rural EV owner and a used EV owner, you will only ever be able to claim a maximum grant value of £400.
The Used Electric Vehicle Loan Scotland
Funded by Transport Scotland, the Used Electric Vehicle Loan is an interest-free electric car loan for individuals that is repayable over five years. The maximum loan amounts depend on the type of used vehicle you plan to purchase, and they include VAT:
- Electric moped costing £5,000 or less: Eligible for £5,000
- Electric motorcycle costing £5,000 or less: Eligible for £5,000
- Electric car costing £30,000 or less: Eligible for £30,000
- Electric van costing £30,000 or less: Eligible for £30,000
- Hydrogen vehicle: Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis
The used vehicle purchased with the loan must come from an acceptable dealership. Acceptable dealerships fall into two categories:
- Traditional brick-and-mortar dealerships based in the UK
These dealerships conduct sales both in-person and through their online platforms. They must be accredited by the Motor Ombudsman or be part of a trade association signed up to the National Conciliation Service. Some acceptable associations include the National Franchised Dealers Association, Independent Garage Association/Trust My Garage, Scottish Motor Trade Association, National Motorcycle Dealers Association, Motorcycle Industry Association, and Retail Motor Industry Federation. - Online-only dealerships
These dealerships must have an up-to-date online presence, own the vehicles for sale, provide reputable customer support services, and have robust warranty procedures. They must also transparently outline a vehicle’s age, battery capacity, mileage, and the interior and exterior condition of the vehicle(s) on any sale document(s) provided.
Eligibility criteria
Before applying for the Used Electric Vehicle Loan, ensure you meet the loan eligibility criteria:
- You must have at least six years of address history.
- You must provide your income information to prove your ability to make repayments.
- You must confirm that you will not purchase the used vehicle before receiving a loan offer. If you do, your application will not be accepted.
Application process
If you’re interested in the Used Electric Vehicle Loan, the application process is straightforward:
- Register and apply using this online application form provided by the Energy Saving Trust.
- Fill out the required details including your address history and income information.
- Wait for the loan offer before purchasing your used electric vehicle.
The Used Electric Vehicle Loan is an excellent resource for Scottish residents and helps make the transition to electric vehicles more affordable and convenient.
The EVHS Grant Scotland
The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) is no longer available to residents in Scotland. The Scheme was scrapped in 2022 for all UK residents and replaced with the EV Chargepoint Grant scheme.
The EVHS was a UK-wide initiative that provided funding towards the cost of installing electric vehicle charge points at Scottish homes. Prior to being scrapped in 2022, this scheme offered up to 75% of the installation cost, capped at £350 per household, for eligible electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Here’s how it generally worked:
- Eligibility
The grant was available to electric vehicle owners who had off-street parking, owned their car or had it on a lease, or had ordered an eligible vehicle and had the lease confirmed. - Application Process
The homeowner would generally have to use an installer approved by OZEV to install the charger. The approved installer would apply for the grant on behalf of the homeowner. - Funding
If approved, the grant would cover up to 75% of the cost of installation. The grant amount would be deducted by the installer from the total cost of installation, so the homeowner would pay the remaining balance. - Chargepoint Requirements
The installed charger had to be OZEV-approved, ‘smart’ (connected to the internet for remote access and management), and meet certain technical specifications.
ebike Loans in Scotland
Eco-conscious biking enthusiasts in Scotland have a new funding scheme for second-hand cycles via the ebike loan.
Pedal-assisted electric bikes, commonly known as eBikes, have witnessed a surge in popularity over recent years. If you’re a resident of Scotland, The Energy Saving Trust, with support from Transport Scotland, is offering a decent funding opportunity for ebikes. They’ve rolled out an interest-free loan which is repayable over a comfortable period of four years.
Here’s the ebike loan scheme options:
- Brand New eBike: You can purchase up to 2 brand new eBikes, with a funding cap of £3,000 each.
- Second-Hand eBike: Opt for up to 2 used eBikes, each capped at £2,000.
- Family options: If you’re looking at a new family cargo or ecargo bike, there’s a provision of up to £6,000. Prefer a used one? You can get up to £4,000.
- Special Adapted Cycles: Those seeking new or used adapted cycles can have their value assessed on a case-by-case basis.
John is the Editor and Spokesperson for Electric Car Guide.
With over 20 years of writing experience, he has written for titles such as City AM, FE News and NerdWallet.com, covering various automotive and personal finance topics.
John’s market commentary has been covered by the likes of The Express, The Independent, Yahoo Finance and The Evening Standard.
