Believ sets out Ayrshire charging plan under 15-year council partnership
The proposal covers more than 600 EV charging points across around 300 locations, with first installations expected from early 2027. Funding combines public support and private investment.
Believ plans more than 600 EV charging points across Ayrshire through a 15-year partnership with three councils. The rollout is expected to cover around 300 locations, with installations due to begin in early 2027. The project combines public funding with private investment and includes management of existing ChargePlace Scotland chargers.
The published account describes a planned local authority partnership, rather than a completed installation programme. It does not identify a separate regulatory decision or state that a statutory approval has been granted. Believ's stated plan therefore concerns deployment, funding and the operation of charging sites over the partnership term.
Three council areas share the rollout
The planned allocation is around 180 new charging points in East Ayrshire, 210 in North Ayrshire and 220 in South Ayrshire. These figures describe the distribution across the three council areas. The source does not set out a more detailed timetable for each area or say which sites will receive chargers first.
The rollout is also expected to include coverage on Arran. Believ says the network will have standard units intended for longer stays as well as rapid chargers. The available account does not name hardware models or specify charging speeds, so those details remain open.
Existing sites join future provision
Believ is set to take over management of existing chargers in the three council areas from ChargePlace Scotland. That means the partnership covers operations at existing infrastructure as well as new installations. The source does not describe the handover process or identify when management responsibilities will change.
The project is also expected to provide more than 450 locations with passive provision. In this context, passive provision means capacity to add chargers later if required. The account does not state how many additional units those locations could support or what criteria would trigger installation.
Funding combines public and private capital
The Scottish Government’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund (EVIF) is providing over £2.8 million for the project, according to the source. Believ is contributing over £15 million in private investment. The account does not break down spending by council, site, equipment or operating cost.
Believ CEO Guy Bartlett said the partnership would build on the ChargePlace Scotland network and support access to charging across urban, rural and island communities. Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport Flynn said the fund enables local authorities to work together and attract private investment. These comments set out the parties' stated rationale; the source provides no measured forecast of use or emissions impact.
Installation timing remains the next test
The first installations are expected from early 2027, but the source does not give a calendar date or a sequence of council launches. Hardware choices and site-level plans are also not specified. Believ's public account is therefore a deployment plan, with those practical details still to come.
The source says this is Believ's first public sector partnership in Scotland. It also reports that the company operates more than 2,300 public charging points across the UK. The next reported steps to watch are the confirmed site list, the start of installations and details of the existing charger handover.