There could be 300 ’pay as you go’ electric car charging sockets installed across the island over the next five years.

Government predicts there will 3,000 electric vehicles on Manx roads by 2025 - and this is a key part of its target for the island to be net carbon neutral by 2050.

Manx Utilities chairman Tim Baker told the House of Keys that a roll-out plan was devised at the beginning this year to install 30 additional twin-socket public charge points per year for the next five years island-wide.

This would create 300 sockets by 2025, providing one for every 10 electric cars, which is the target outlined in an European Union directive.

Manx Utilities currently has 37 sockets with a further four planned for Ramsey and two in Castletown this year, providing 43 sockets in total.

In addition, a planning application has been submitted for the installation of a 50kW rapid charge point at the Sea Terminal.

Manx Utilities has installed infrastructure for 32 charging sockets on Douglas Promenade, of which an initial 10 charging sockets will be installed in 2021 as the final road surface is laid.

There are currently 420 electric vehicles registered in the Isle of Man, compared with about 300 registered at the end of 2019.

Mr Baker, in a written reply to a House of Keys question from Middle MHK Bill Shimmins, said: ’Additional sockets will be installed as electric vehicles demand increases.

’Manx Utilities is committed to creating a public charging network which will have coverage right across the island and is working with other government departments and local authorities to identify appropriate further sites.’

Manx Utilities’ charging points had originally allowed drivers of electric cars to power up their vehicles for free, in a bid to encourage more people to go green.

Last year Manx Utilities partnered with Pod Point to roll-out a public ’pay as you go’ charging network.

There are also more than 20 private sockets provided for public use at various locations around the island, including Jurby Motor Museum, Mountain View Innovation Centre, Mannin Hotel, Cycle 360, Ballavartyn Equestrian Centre, Isle of Man Food Park and South Quay.

New permitted development rules under a Town and Country Planning amendment order approved by Tynwald in July this year will help increase the rate of installation of electric vehicle charge points.

Those planned for conservation areas will still require planning permission, however.