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We seem to be entering the era of electric vehicles with worldwide sales topping 2.1 million in 2019. The electric vehicle market expands globally supported by technology advances and government policies in pursuit of sustainable and eco-friendly economy.
Even though electric cars are accounted for only 2.6% of car sales globally (about 1% of global car stock); there is a 40% year-on-year increase in EV purchasing. Nowadays, the prices of electric cars are declining, and ranges are expanding, but charging electric vehicles still brings too many questions for the consumer.
There seems to be a lack of possible options, and it could soon become the top barrier. Thus, the global EV charging stations market is expected to grow at 23.24% CAGR between 2020 and 2027 as there is a need for ensuring electrification of vehicles and developing electric charging infrastructure.
It is a built-in charging point used to supply energy to EVs.
Traditional vehicles usually only refuel at gas stations, whereas EV can recharge at multiple locations in different ways. The most common charging points use wired plug-in chargers and can be located at home, at work, in public, and on highways for long-distance trips.
Some other advanced technologies are emerging, for example, wireless charging or streetlight charging, but we will focus on the most common options.
There are a few public electric cars charging networks available in Ireland.
This is one of the most important EV charging networks in Ireland supported by the Republic of Ireland government and energy companies. ESB Ecars a part of the ESB Group, the country’s electricity supplier.
There are about 1,100 ESB Ecars public charge points in Ireland in locations such as shopping centres, on-street, car parks etc. They offer two types of chargers: AC (standard 22kW) and DC (Fast chargers 50kW).
Since August 2020, ESB Ecars offers two pricing plans: fast charge (a €4.60 monthly subscription, 12-month minimum term) and on-the-go (just 30.5c/kWh for a fast charge or 26.8c/kWh for a standard).
This private company has the second-largest network with many AC charge points and a few 50kw fast charge points. The company offers Prepay and Pay-as-you-go options. The connection fee for both AC and DC chargers is €0.24, and the rate is between €0.10 and €0.35 per kWh of energy delivered.
Tesla owns a network of DC hubs and AC chargers. The first ones are reserved for Tesla vehicles only. AC charges, usually located in restaurants and hotels, can be available for any EV.
This is another developing company in Ireland. The cost of their service is just 0.30 cent per kWh.
This company has only DC fast charging points at the cost of about €0.79 per kWh. The charging speed is much faster (over 150kW), depending on your vehicle.
You can find charging facilities in this Ireland’s fuel and convenience retailer. Most Circle K stations are hosting ESB Ecars chargers, although last year Circle K launched its high-powered EV charging network in partnership with Ionity.
The owners of conventional cars cannot simply “refill” their vehicle at home, but EV owners can! They can use a standard outlet (Type 1) or install a special (Type 2) wall charger for a faster charge.
All EVs are provided with a Type 1 home connector kit (a cord that allows plugging your car into a standard outlet). The Type 1 charger can fully charge the battery overnight, and it is enough for EV owners, who do not drive much during a day.
On the other hand, if you don’t have convenient access to a public charger and you need to charge faster, it is worth investing in a wall-mounted charger.
The use of environmentally friendly transport is supposed to increase, so it is essential for local authorities to support the development of on-street charging points as many EV drivers may not have access to off-site parking.
There are several different types of charge points available: chargers installed in lamp posts, pillar units placed near the kerb, telescoping charge points. The speed of such charging points depends on the power supply available.
Most of the on-street residential chargers will be about 3 kW. This speed is similar to the one you would have back home. To make use of such EV charging points, the user may need to subscribe to some price plan and use RFID card or app to control the charge.
Charging at work is a very convenient option for any employee as the car gets charged during the day. Moreover, having EV charging points at work will be very important not only for employees but also for visitors and customers in the nearest future. Thus, installing wall-mounted chargers or posts can be a great investment.
Additionally, the Government organizations and businesses some substantial financial support and grants to have charge points installed. Customers, visitors and employees may have different charging connectivity needs, so it is necessary to make sure the charging point is compatible with most vehicles.
As a part of its climate action plan, the Government aims to have 936,000 EVs on the roads of Ireland by 2030. This goal cannot be achieved without a proper vehicle charging infrastructure as not having enough access to efficient electric car charging stations could be the most serious barrier to EV purchase. That is why the Government and local authorities introduced a handful of initiatives supporting the development if this industry.
Nowadays there is a wide range of possible options to charge your EV. You can do so by using some public electric vehicle charging networks such as ESB Ecars, EasyGo, Ionity, Tesla, Go Charge, Circle K etc. You can as well charge your car right at home as do about 80% of EV owners. It is also possible to use electric car charging points installed in your neighborhood. And, finally, it becomes more and more common for businesses to introduce such service right at the workplace.
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