Aberdeen will provide €80 million, anchored by Standard Life, as part of an overall facility of up to €150 million, in debt financing to EZO, the leading privately owned electric vehicle (EV) charging operator in Ireland, to support its expansion of public charging infrastructure across both Ireland and the UK.

The financing will help EZO fund new concession opportunities and support the rollout of more than 3,000 charging points, representing in excess of 100,000kW of charging capacity, over the next three years. The majority of the new infrastructure is expected to be installed across the UK, with additional deployment in Ireland.

Matt Hamilton-Glover, investment director – Private Credit at Aberdeen Investments, said: “The electrification of transport is one of the most significant infrastructure investment themes of the coming decades, requiring substantial investment in the networks that will support growing EV adoption. We are pleased to provide this financing to EZO as it continues to expand its public charging infrastructure footprint across the UK and Ireland. 

“This transaction is particularly notable as it represents the first EV charging investment by our infrastructure debt team. It demonstrates how private capital can support essential infrastructure while helping accelerate the transition to a lower-carbon economy and improving access to charging infrastructure for both urban and rural communities.”

Manuel Dusina, head of real assets at Standard Life, said: “The transition to electric transport will require significant investment in charging infrastructure across regions over the coming years. The challenge is ensuring that capital can be deployed efficiently through financing structures that appropriately balance risk and return for investors while supporting the rapid rollout of new infrastructure.”

“As public charging networks continue to expand, private capital can play an important role in funding the assets needed to support growing EV adoption. Well-structured financing can help unlock investment at scale, supporting the energy transition while generating the stable, long-term cash flows that can help meet the needs of retirement savers and other long-term investors.”