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A SCOTTISH project that is transforming the powering of electric vehicles has completed 10,000 charges less than 18 months since it began.

The figure is all the more remarkable given that coronavirus restrictions have meant fewer cars on the road for much of the time.

Project PACE will create 44 EV charging hubs across Lanarkshire by the end of this spring and is a blueprint for nationwide plans.

The scheme, involving SP Energy Networks, the Scottish Government and North and South Lanarkshire Councils, will significantly increase the number of fast (22kW) and rapid (50kW) chargers across the region, allowing more drivers to quickly power up their cars.

The popular charging hubs have already provided 183MWh of energy to electric vehicles and enabled about 640,450 miles to be driven using clean, green transport.

That’s the equivalent of removing up to 111 tonnes of CO2, which would have been emitted to the atmosphere had this mileage been done by petrol or diesel cars.

One of the newest sites that has gone live at Chatelherault Country Park has enough chargers for 14 cars at any one time.

Scott Mathieson, of SP Energy Networks, said: “The popularity of the charging hubs we’ve been able to help quickly build across the county underlines the importance of rolling out similar projects across the rest of the country.”

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson added: “I’m pleased to see the continued development of Project PACE and it’s very welcome to see people charging their vehicles on 10,000 occasions since this work began.”