How many national EV charging plans has Ireland had?
More than a few, but still not enough. The Irish Government is currently back-slapping itself about the fact that there are now an estimated 270,000 electric cars (and vans, of course) on our roads, which actually puts us ahead of the target set out in the 2025 Climate Action Plan. Electric cars have taken over as the number-one choice among Irish new car buyers, surpassing the sales volumes of hybrids, petrol, and diesel cars for the first time this year. However, there’s still a problem.
What’s the problem with EV charging in Ireland?
There’s not enough charging. A report by electric charging experts ChargePoint shows that globally there’s currently about a 20 per cent gap between the number of electric cars on the road and the number of chargers that they need. In Ireland, that gap may well be significantly higher, as according to the most recent figures Ireland currently has around 95 electric car chargers per 100,000 people, far fewer than the Netherlands’ 820 chargers by the same metric.
What is the Government doing about EV charging?
What it always does: it’s rolling out another plan. According to the Department of Transport’s figures, there are currently 3,620 public charging connectors, spread across 1,200 sites, delivering up to 280MW of charging power. This latest National EV Infrastructure Strategy 2026-2028 seeks to “support the continued rollout of accessible, reliable and comprehensive charging infrastructure through to the end of 2028.”
How will the new EV charging strategy work?
Good question. This is all a little light on detail for the moment.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien said: “With Ireland’s transition to electric well underway, it is essential that our charging infrastructure keeps pace with this growth and remains reliable and accessible. I want to thank everyone who participated in the public consultation earlier this year. The submissions received have played an important role in shaping this Strategy and ensuring it reflects the practical needs of EV drivers, communities, industry and public bodies as we continue Ireland’s transition to electric mobility. The delivery of high-powered infrastructure across the country really demonstrate the progress already being made and the opportunities that exist to further strengthen our national charging network.”
Is there new funding for EV charging?
Yes, it seems, in the form of three Recharging Infrastructure Light Duty Vehicle (LDV) National Road Grant Schemes, run by Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
According to Lorcan O’Connor, CEO of Transport Infrastructure Ireland: “The ZEVI TII EV Recharging Infrastructure Light Duty Vehicle (LDV) National Road Grant Schemes represent an important step in expanding EV recharging infrastructure across Ireland’s National Roads. Together, the three LDV national road charging schemes support the delivery of high-powered recharging infrastructure along key sections of the national road network, providing reliable and more frequent access to recharging points for road users across the country. The initiative will give greater confidence to users in the availability of charging on the national road network and will strengthen the transition to a more sustainable and efficient transport system nationwide.”
What about people who can’t charge at home?
That’s a significant issue, and one made more significant still by the likes of the ESB hiking its public charging prices this week, a move which in some cases has made running an electric car on public charging more expensive than buying petrol or diesel to cover the same distance. Clearly, that’s not sustainable for people without access to home charging, and therefore significantly cheaper electricity rates. Talk about reducing the VAT cost of public charging seems to have gone away for now, but this new plan includes: “Expanding neighbourhood charging options for people without access to home charging, including those living in apartments and higher density housing.” Precisely what that means, and how it’s going to reduce the cost of charging if you don’t have a driveway at home, remains to be seen.
If there is anything about this story we have not covered, you can avail of our expert advice service via the Ask Us Anything page.