Our story
Located in a volcanic bowl, the city of Dundee used to suffer from poor air quality, with vehicle exhaust fumes trapped in the city. Today, fleets, private cars and more than 230 taxis are following the council’s lead and transitioning to electric vehicles.
Dundee is regarded as Scotland's leading city in the adoption, promotion and operation of electric vehicles (EVs). With the introduction of electrical bin lorries and pop-up EV chargers, the city has become something of an innovation centre for learning how cities can meet the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars and vans.
At Dundee City Council, we are committed to achieving net zero and have identified transport as a key source of carbon emissions. The council also recognises the potential for EVs to support efforts to reduce pollution from road traffic and improve the air quality for everyone.
In 2011, we first launched all-electric vehicles into the council's fleet with the introduction of four cars and chargers at one of the depots. Since then, the council's battery-powered fleet has grown to one of the highest concentrations of EVs of any local authority in the UK (40% of all council cars and vans are battery powered).
The switch to EVs has now seen the council travel over 8 million miles on pure electric, making a significant impact on both the air quality in the city and the carbon impact of the council's transport, saving an estimated 250,000 tons of CO2.
In addition to the council fleet, the taxi industry in Dundee has adopted electric vehicles, with one-third (230 vehicles) of all taxis currently all-electric. This number is continually growing and is helping make EVs more visible around the city. This transition has been achieved by progressive policy changes and continued engagement between the council and the city's taxi trade. Additionally, a fleet of fully electric buses has also been deployed in the city.
The charging infrastructure in the city has continued to grow, with a mixture of publicly available and private chargers being installed. Dundee is home to the UK's first purpose-built EV charging hub in Princess Street, featuring eighteen bays of solar canopies, rapid charging units and an integrated energy storage system utilising second-life EV batteries. Further solar canopies have also been constructed at Queen Street and Broughty Ferry.
Along with providing Dundee with charging infrastructure, the council understood the need to provide regional infrastructure, given that a substantial number of weekly journeys into Dundee start from outside the city. Working in partnership with surrounding local authorities, the council developed the concept of EV "charging gateways" which link up the city's charging infrastructure with the wider region.
Our advice
The 'Drive Dundee Electric' campaign has been fundamental in encouraging and supporting the uptake of Electric Vehicles (EVs) across the city. It is now the face of all the latest news about charging infrastructure, regulation and events, and acts as a point of information and contact to ensure all responses are accurate and quick, providing the best experience to EV owners.
Robust charging infrastructure capable of supporting the council fleet and public EVs has been central to success. It is vital to understand the current electrical capacity at key sites and plan effectively to provide the infrastructure required.
Working in partnerships and endorsing innovative technology has also been vital for the success of EVs in the city. Partnerships such as the pop-up EV charging hubs driven forward by Urban Foresight, and working closely with taxi and bus companies in the city, have enabled Dundee to lead the way with EV travel.
Our Changeprint
Our Changeprint can be measured by the increased miles travelled by low-carbon vehicles and the corresponding decrease in carbon emissions; improvements in local air quality that benefit all city residents; and the ripple effect of boosting EV infrastructure and uptake in surrounding local authorities.
