The City of Edinburgh Council is offering £80,000 in a competition to find the best idea for how to develop new charging systems for electric vehicles.
Organisations can apply for a share of the money, under the Small Business Research Initiative programme, to examine how low-carbon and smart electric vehicle charging infrastructure could be introduced in the Scottish capital.
A further £200,000 could be available to prototype the best ideas in a second phase of the competition.
Under the Scottish government’s new targets for carbon reduction and electric vehicles, diesel and petrol vehicles need to be phased out by 2032. This means Scotland’s charging network needs to be expanded.
The city council is seeking projects that combine on-site generation of renewable energy, battery storage and smart meters with innovative software systems to control everything.
There are an estimated 8,000 diesel permit holders’ vehicles in Edinburgh.
Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Transport Convener, said: 'With 89 charging points – 58 of which are publicly available – and more than 23% of all licensed electric vehicles in Scotland, Edinburgh is making excellent progress in promoting this cleaner, greener mode of transport.
'Later this week, the Transport and Environment Committee will be asked to approve a new Electric Vehicle Action Plan to maximise the benefits and opportunities of electric vehicles in the Capital.
'The studies we’re looking to fund will be hugely valuable in helping us making it as easy and attractive as possible for residents and organisations to make the switch from fossil-fuelled to electric vehicles.'
