ESB has just announced the opening of a new high-speed electric car charging hub, with the installation of four 200kW chargers at the Blanchardstown shopping centre in west Dublin. The chargers will have two connections each, so they can charge as many as eight cars (although, obviously, the charging speed drops to 100kW if two cars are connected to the same charger).
100km in six minutes
At the top speed of 200kW, the chargers can add as much as 100km of extra range in as little as six minutes, depending on the charging ability of your electric car. The new chargers are in addition to the existing 150kW and 50kW chargers at the shopping centre.
It's the largest ESB EV fast-charging hub in Dublin so far. It will serve the estimated 16 million annual visitors to the Blanchardstown centre, and the chargers will also be useful for those travelling on the M50 and M3 motorways.
39 high-power charging hubs
It's the 19th new charging hub that ESB has installed in the past 12 months, along with some significant upgrades to older charging locations. A key milestone for ESB in 2023 was doubling the number of high-power chargers partially funded by the Government's Climate Action Fund. ESB has built 39 high-power charging hubs nationwide over the past two years, replaced over 250 AC chargers with newer technology, and upgraded a further 52 AC chargers to fast 50kW and 100kW chargers.
Climate reduction targets
Welcoming this announcement, John Byrne, Head of eMobility at ESB, said: "We are delighted to have recently installed another eight brand-new high-power chargers in Blanchardstown Centre. This hub installation marks a major milestone in extending the critical charging infrastructure available to the people of Dublin and beyond and will play a key role in helping Ireland reach its climate reduction targets. EVs are the fastest growing segment in the Irish car market so hubs like this are crucial for drivers and demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that the public charging network can support this growth."
Joe Gavin, General Manager of Blanchardstown Centre, welcomed the new charging hub: "The Blanchardstown Centre plays a huge role in the fabric of Dublin life and we are delighted that we can partner with ESB to support members of our community and visitors to the area to access more sustainable choices. The chargers that ESB installed in 2021 have been hugely popular so it is great to add to these with our new high-power hub which will be a great benefit to our customers."