Taking lead in buying electric used cars

SCOTLAND is leading the way in secondhand electric car sales – despite fears that there are not enough charging points to keep up with demand, a report shows.

Six Scottish regions feature in the UK top 20 for sales of secondhand electric and hybrid cars, with Argyll and Bute in second place behind Kent.

Angus, North Ayrshire, Edinburgh, the Borders and East Renfrewshire also appear on the list, outstripping Hampshire and Buckinghamshire.

The figures, from car data firm Carzana, show almost 15 per cent of all used electric vehicles were purchased by Scots in the year leading up to July 2018.

But concerns over sparselyplaced charging points leaving electric car drivers stranded are causing Scots to think twice before weaning themselves off petrol or diesel.

John Bynorth, of Environment Protection Scotland, said this ‘range anxiety’ is ‘the biggest hurdle to overcome’, adding: ‘Cutting down on planning red tape and the costs faced by local authorities would help improve things in time for 2032.’

Last year, the Scottish Government announced its intention to phase out all petrol and diesel cars by 2032.

But the pledge to make Scotland fuel-free eight years before the UK Government’s target has been attacked as ‘money grabbing’ and ‘completely unworkable’ by activist groups and the Scottish Conservatives.