The chief executive of ScottishPower has warned that the UK will need 25 million electric vehicle charging points - 4000 a day - if motorists are to make the switch from fossil fuels.
Keith Anderson said the Government needed to invest now rather than wait for demand to increase for electric cars, which at 25,000 this year still represent less than 2% of new vehicle sales in the UK.
He spoke as ScottishPower and SP Energy Networks launched their Zero Carbon Communities roadmap towards meeting Britain's target of being Net Zero by 2050.
He told the BBC: "What we want to do is create a network that encourages people to make the switch. They need to have that confidence that they can go where they want in their electric cars.
"We we need to build that infrastructure ahead of demand. For electrification of transport and cars, we need to invest ahead of demand so that people have confidence when they go to the showroom and buy their electric car.
He said the same applied to weaning householders off gas central heating.
"We need to start moving towards heat pumps. Let's start making the investment , let's start encouraging people to make the switch. We need to make it easy for them."
