Private EV ownership rises 45% in Scotland as drivers continue the switch to electric
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Private EV ownership across Scotland rises by more than 45% year on year, with more than 20,000 extra cars EVs
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North Ayrshire saw the fastest growth, but Edinburgh has the most private EVs
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“More EVs on Scottish driveways is good news, but the growth in ownership needs to be matched by growth in confidence” – AA President
Private ownership of electric cars in Scotland has risen by 45.7% in a year, according to new AA analysis of quarterly DVLA figures*.
The number of privately owned EVs on Scotland’s roads increased from 44,848 in Q4 2024 to 65,340 in Q4 2025, a rise of 20,492 vehicles.
The figures show Scotland broadly tracking the UK-wide increase in private EV ownership, which rose by 45.8% over the same period. Across the UK, the number of privately owned EVs increased from 533,039 to 777,198, a rise of 244,159 vehicles.
Scotland vs UK nations
| Area | Q4 2024 | Q4 2025 | Change |
| UK | 777,198 | 533,039 | +45.8% |
| England | 671,883 | 461,862 | +45.4% |
| Wales | 28,917 | 18,811 | +53.7% |
| Scotland | 65,340 | 44,848 | +45.7% |
| Northern Ireland | 10,614 | 7,330 | +44.9% |
Within Scotland, the fastest growth was recorded in North Ayrshire, where private EV ownership rose by 62.0%, from 900 to 1,458 vehicles.
This was followed by North Lanarkshire, up 61.2%, from 2,513 to 4,050, and West Dunbartonshire, up 56.4%, from 484 to 757.
“More EVs on Scottish driveways is good news, but the growth in ownership needs to be matched by growth in confidence”
South Lanarkshire also saw one of the largest increases, with private EV ownership rising by 53.3%, from 3,139 to 4,813 vehicles — an additional 1,674 privately owned EVs in a year. South Ayrshire rose by 53.2%, from 965 to 1,478.
The figures suggest private EV growth is particularly strong across parts of central and western Scotland, with North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire, Inverclyde, East Ayrshire, West Lothian and Renfrewshire all recording increases above 50%.
Fastest Scottish local authority rises
| Area | Q4 2024 | Q4 2025 | Change |
| North Ayreshire | 1,458 | 900 | +62% |
| North Lanarkshire | 4,050 | 2,513 | +61.2% |
| West Dunbatonshire | 757 | 484 | +56.4% |
| South Lanarkshire | 4,813 | 3,139 | +53.3% |
| South Ayreshire | 1,478 | 965 | +53.2% |
By volume, Edinburgh remains the Scottish local authority area with the highest number of privately owned EVs, with 5,387 vehicles in Q4 2025, up from 3,979 a year earlier. It was followed by Fife, with 4,877, South Lanarkshire, with 4,813, Glasgow City, with 4,078, and North Lanarkshire, with 4,050.
At the other end of the scale, the slowest growth was recorded in island authorities. Orkney Islands saw private EV ownership rise by 20.6%, from 326 to 393, while Shetland Islands rose by 29.7%, from 118 to 153, and Na h-Eileanan Siar increased by 32.7%, from 110 to 146.
The data shows Scotland’s transition to electric is continuing but moving at different speeds. While many central and western council areas are seeing strong growth in private EV ownership, rural and island communities may face different barriers, including charging access, journey length and vehicle choice.
Areas with the most privately owned EVs
| Area | Q4 2024 | Q4 2025 | Change |
| City of Edinburgh | 5,387 | 3,979 | +35.4% |
| Fife | 4,877 | 3,234 | +50.8% |
| South Lanarkshire | 4,813 | 3,139 | +53.3% |
| Glasgow City | 4,078 | 2,781 | +49.6% |
| North Lanarkshire | 4,050 | 2,513 | +61.2% |
More EV Searches
The ownership figures come as separate AA Cars analysis suggests more drivers are actively considering electric vehicles. Views of second-hand EVs on AA Cars rose by more than 43% between the week commencing 2 March and the week commencing 6 April, against a backdrop of rising fuel prices and growing interest in lower day-to-day running costs.
AA EV Readiness Index
The AA’s latest EV Readiness Index, published in March 2026, shows that conditions for switching to electric are improving, with the overall readiness score rising from 48.8 in Q4 2025 to 53.8 in Q1 2026. The Index found that falling used EV prices had helped shift the dial, with used electric cars 10% cheaper than comparable petrol cars during the quarter.
However, the Index also highlighted that the transition remains fragile. AA polling found only 3% of drivers felt confident buying a used EV, while 22% felt confident they would know how to charge one. In Scotland, there were 12,672 public chargers in April 2026**, underlining the importance of continued investment as EV ownership grows across cities, towns, rural areas and island communities.
AA member polling also found that only 3% of drivers felt confident buying a used EV, while just 22% felt confident they would know how to charge one.
Edmund King, AA President, said: “Private EV ownership continues to grow strongly in Scotland, with more than 20,000 additional electric cars registered to private owners compared with the same period last year. A rise of 45.5% shows that more Scottish drivers are making the switch to electric.
“What is encouraging is that the strongest growth is being seen across parts of central and western Scotland. North Ayrshire saw private EV ownership rise by 62%, while North Lanarkshire rose by more than 61% and South Lanarkshire added more than 1,600 vehicles. This suggests the switch to electric is broadening across Scotland and these figures are even more compelling as they relate to private sales rather than fleet or company sales that might be influenced by further tax incentives.
“Edinburgh still has the highest number of privately owned EVs in Scotland, but its slower percentage growth may reflect the fact that it was earlier to embrace electric vehicles, so it is now growing from a more mature base. The figures also show slower growth in island communities, where the practical challenges around charging, journey patterns and vehicle choice may be different.
“Our latest EV Readiness Index shows conditions for switching are improving, helped by falling used EV prices, but the transition remains fragile. The next stage of EV adoption will depend on drivers feeling confident that charging is reliable, easy to use and fairly priced, and that they have the information they need to make the switch.”
“More EVs on Scottish driveways is good news, but the growth in ownership needs to be matched by growth in confidence.”
* DfT/DVLA table VEH0142, using Cars / Battery Electric / Private keepership / 2025 Q4 vs 2024 Q4.
** Developing faster indicators of transport activity - GOV.UK