A new high-power electric-vehicle (EV) charging hub has opened at Swords, Co. Dublin, marking the culmination of a joint programme between energy supplier ESB and the Climate Action Fund (CAF) scheme.
Where is the new hub and what are the specs?
It's located at the Airside Retail Park in Swords and features four 360kW high-power chargers (HPCs), which are capable of charging eight EVs simultaneously. These HPCs are said to be able to deliver up to 220km of driving range to select EVs within ten minutes of hook-up.
The CAF programme, joint-funded with the ESB to the tune of €23 million (€10m from CAF and €13m from ESB), aimed to upgrade and extend the EV charging network across the country and has already delivered more than 55 charging hubs - 52 of which offer ultra-rapid charging, of more than 150kW DC - while also uprating 50 chargers to higher speeds (from 22kW AC charging to 50-100kW DC charging) and replacing 247 standard AC chargers elsewhere.
The Swords set-up is the culmination of the scheme, which began in 2018 as part of Project Ireland 2040 under the National Development Plan 2018-2027.
What do those involved in the charging-upgrade plan say?
Darragh O'Brien TD, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and Minister for Transport, said: "Expanding and improving the EV charging Infrastructure has been vital to accelerating EV adoption in Ireland.
"Through the Climate Action Fund and our partnership with ESB, we've delivered a robust public charging network that supports this transition. The new hub launched today - the final under our joint initiative - shows how convenient it is to charge your EV on the go and will help more drivers go electric and cut carbon emissions.”
At the launch of the Swords site, Francis O'Donnell, ESB ecars manager, added: "This high-power charging hub, the final one delivered under the Climate Action Fund Programme, marks a major milestone in expanding Ireland's public EV charging network.
"It reflects ESB's commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable transport future - one that puts EV drivers first. We've made EV charging faster, more accessible, and more reliable. ESB remains dedicated to investing in the charging network and supporting EV drivers with the continued rollout of high-power hubs across the island.”
And Darren Burke, from commercial property firm IPUT plc, also said: "The ESB charging hub is an important charging base for EV motorists who are local and those that are visiting.
"At Airside Retail Park, our strategy is focused on making our buildings more sustainable, and the hub extends beyond the building itself, supporting the wider community in travelling more sustainably.”