The Government has set an ambitious goal of having 640,000 electric vehicles (EVs) on the road by 2030. To get there, it’s going to require multiple players in the market making sure that drivers can be confident of being able to run their EVs and not fear running out of power.
With that in mind, the charging network and the power behind it is critical. ESB, through its eCars programme, has been at the heart of addressing that issue from the start.
“ESB has been in this space for quite a while now,” says Francis O’Donnell, head of eMobility at ESB. “We began investing in Ireland’s public EV charging network back in 2010, before EVs were mainstream.
“Today, we operate the largest charging network on the island, with over 1,600 charge points and a reliability rating of 98 per cent, which we’re proud of because we know how important it is for drivers to trust that a charger will work when they need it.”
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The market has evolved substantially since 2010, and O’Donnell says this has been to the benefit of EV drivers.
“Of course, the EV landscape has changed a lot since then. There are now multiple operators in the market, and we’re seeing more chargers being installed at hotels, forecourts, retail parks, and supported by local councils,” he says.
“That’s great news for drivers, who now have access to a much broader and more reliable network, especially for longer journeys.”
While the trend is positive, there is still a lot of ground to make up when it comes to bringing Ireland up to par with its trading partners regarding EV charging availability.
“Ireland’s EV charging network is advancing, but it still lags behind many European peers and requires a significant step-up to meet EU targets,” says Ollie Chatten, chief executive of EZO.
“Globally, competition and customer choice are the key drivers of best practice and Ireland is now benefiting from this shift. Prior to 2018, the charging network was dominated by a single supplier, and reliability was often a concern. In recent years, the market has opened up, bringing more charge point operators into play.”
Chatten says there is an opportunity to accelerate the roll-out and availability of charging infrastructure.
“There is a major opportunity to accelerate progress by empowering the private sector, giving it the freedom, support, and financial incentives needed to expand publicly available infrastructure at scale,” he says.
A change in mindset could prove particularly useful in attracting more apartment dwellers to EVs. Chatten says a mixed approach towards charging provision could make more drivers consider EVs.
“One innovative step already under way is the Shared Charging Initiative, developed in partnership with the Department of Transport. This scheme allows homeowners to share their private EV chargers with neighbours and the wider community,” he says.
“Looking abroad, countries such as the UK have successfully implemented on-street and kerbside charging solutions, which provide residents in urban areas with convenient alternatives to home charging. Ireland has not yet adopted this approach at scale, representing both a challenge and an opportunity for further innovation in the years ahead.”
Matt Keady, managing director of EC Charging, says this kind of broader thinking can make EVs more attractive to a wider audience.
“There are solutions for shared charging, such as communal charging points in apartment complexes or on-street charging for residents without driveways,” he says.
“The barriers tend to be regulatory bodies and local authorities, questions of who owns and manages the infrastructure, how the electricity is billed fairly, and how local authorities allocate space.”
The barriers that are in place make hitting the Government’s goal of 640,000 EVs on Irish roads by 2030 more challenging. Keady says an enormous effort is needed to have the infrastructure in place to achieve that target.
“Meeting that target will require a significant scale-up of charging infrastructure, both in public and private spaces. Investment is essential, not only in hardware but also in grid upgrades to support widespread fast charging,” he says.
“Technology is also evolving, but the focus should be on robust, durable chargers that can deliver consistent service over many years. Without confidence in the charging network, drivers will hesitate to make the switch to EVs.”
Confidence in the network depends on infrastructure; in this regard, Chatten says the issues faced by apartment dwellers reflect a wider challenge.
“The infrastructure challenges faced by apartment dwellers and households without driveways mirror the broader barriers for the entire EV community,” he says.
“Overcoming them will require a stronger public charging network, greater private-sector involvement, and wider adoption of shared charging solutions to ensure equitable access.”
The EZO boss believes the best way to accelerate this move is through increased competition in the market.
“Competition gives drivers real choice, encourages innovation, and ensures service quality remains high, while also keeping prices fair. We also see local authorities playing an important role in the transition,” he says.
“By working together through regional groupings, councils have an opportunity to partner with the private sector under concession models that combine shared responsibility with shared investment. In our view, it will be essential that these partnerships balance the needs of busy, high-demand areas with those of more rural and remote locations so that the entire population is served.”
