TWO award-winning Scottish businesses have teamed up to help meet the growing demand for electric vehicle chargepoints.

Solutions experts Eco Group have joined forces with electrical engineering firm DRW Electrical Group Ltd to supply a complete EV charging solution to businesses and organisations across Scotland and the North of England.

With more drivers than ever switching to electric cars and vans, the demand for EV chargepoints continues to rise. Plug-in vehicles, which includes pure electric and plug-in hybrids, accounted for more than one in six cars registered in the UK in 2021.

The collaboration between the two Dumfries and Galloway-based companies will see DRW providing installation and maintenance services for the EV chargepoint supplied by Eco, through its EcoGoZero range of products aimed at helping businesses achieve net zero ambitions.

The fast GEWISS EV charging station is part of its Eco V electric vehicle solutions, which also includes the BriXcell, a brick-sized EV chargepoint which can be installed as part of the construction phase of new builds.

Eco and DRW have a track record of creating and delivering solutions for businesses and both picked up awards at the 2022 Dumfries & Galloway Business Awards, with Eco named joint winner of Outstanding Large Business of the Year and DRW Electrical Group Ltd winning Outstanding Small Business.

Eddie Black, who is Managing Director of Annan-based Eco, said: “We’re delighted to be collaborating with the team at DRW to deliver this exciting project.

“By sharing knowledge and expertise we can drive innovation and maximise the opportunities available.

“With the number of electric vehicles on our roads set to increase dramatically over the next few years, we need to ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to meet the demand.”

The UK Government plans to increase the number of public chargepoints in the UK from 30,000 to 300,000 by 2030 as part of its new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy. The measures aim to support the growing uptake of electric vehicles, with new petrol and diesel car sales banned from 2030.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders anticipates that plug-in cars will account for more than a quarter of the new car market by the end of the year.

Eco and DRW have already worked together to install an EV charging station at the new HQ of older people’s charity Food Train in Dumfries.

David White, who founded DRW and is a director of the firm, along with son Christian and colleague Kyle Bell, said the company was looking to the future through the collaboration with Eco.

He said: “We have big plans for the future and, through this project, we can draw upon the experience and expertise of both teams to deliver something unique for our clients.

“It’s important that we look ahead and help put in the place the infrastructure which will be essential as we move towards a greener economy.”

Established in 1989, DRW Electrical Group Ltd is currently based in Gretna but is moving to new, larger premises in Annan later this summer.

Eco’s EcoGoZero portfolio of products focus on decarbonised travel, decentralised energy and infrastructure innovation. It works with businesses and organisations to find practical ways in which they can help mitigate carbon emissions and find solutions for a resilient, sustainable future.

EcoGoZero has partnered with EV consultation company 360evc to supply the GEWISS EV chargepoint. Based in Cambridgeshire, the company is a leader in the EV market, supplying bespoke solutions to councils, shopping centres and homeowners.