Believ to install over 600 EV charging points across Ayrshire
Charging operator Believe is set to install more than 600 new EV charging points under a 15-year partnership with East, North and South Ayrshire councils in Scotland. The rollout will cover around 300 locations, with the first chargers expected to be installed from early 2027.
Image: Believ
The initiative will see around 180 new charging points installed in East Ayrshire, 210 in North Ayrshire, and 220 in South Ayrshire, including network coverage on the Isle of Arran. According to Believ, this will include both ‘standard’ units for longer stays and rapid chargers, although there’s no specifics yet on hardware.
The CPO has confirmed that a minimum of five accessible charging locations will be included in each council area, with Believ also set to take over the management of existing chargers from the ChargePlace Scotland network in the three council areas. Additionally, the project will provide over 450 locations with ‘passive provision’, i.e. capacity for Believe to install additional chargers in future if needed.
The project is being funded with over £2.8 million from the Scottish Government’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund (EVIF) and over £15 million in private investment from Believ. It also marks the first public sector partnership in Scotland for Believ, which currently operates more than 2,300 public charging points across the UK.
Guy Bartlett, Believ CEO, commented: “We’re proud to be supporting the region in expanding access to reliable and accessible EV charging across the region. This partnership builds on the foundations already delivered through the ChargePlace Scotland network and will help support the transition to electric vehicles across Ayrshire’s urban, rural and island communities.”
Stephen Flynn, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, added: “I’m delighted that £2.8 million from the Scottish Government will support 600 new EV chargers in Ayrshire. Our Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund is enabling local authorities to partner with each other and with the private sector to attract private investment and help drivers in Ayrshire continue to make the switch to EVs.”
The Ayrshire deal is the latest in a series of large-scale contracts with local authorities for Believ. For example: in June, Hampshire County Council selected the company to deploy 17,180 public charge points in what was described at the time as the UK’s largest LEVI-backed charging contract. The company’s overall expansion is being supported by a £300 million investment first announced in 2025, which the company said would fund at least 30,000 additional public charge points across the UK.
