EV Charging FAQs

Electric cars can be charged at public charging points – of which there are hundreds across the country. 

The ESB Standard Charger (up to 22kW) will cost 56.3 cent per kW, their Fast Charger (up to 150kW) is 64.72 cent per kW and the ESB High Power charge points cost 68.2 cent per kW.  

For EasyGo – Ireland’s first private charging station network – there is a 27 cent connection fee and a rate of 50 cent per kWh of use. There is also a 35 cent per minute overstay parking fee at some charging points for charging that takes over 45 minutes.

There are hundreds of charging points available across Ireland. Charging stations are located in various places, such as motorway service stations, shopping centres, car parks and on-street. The ESB has an interactive map on their website detailing every EV charging point in the country and their power outputs.

The time it takes to charge an electric car to 80% at a public charging station will depend on the power output of the charge point and the size of the EV battery. 

ESB Standard charging points can take up to 7 hours depending on battery size, while Fast Charge Stations can charge a car to 80% in under half an hour, again depending on battery size.

Technically, you don’t need to have a home charger installed in order to charge your EV as electric cars come with a standard Level 1 charger which plugs directly into the wall socket, and there are plenty of public charge points across Ireland. 

But for most people, installing a home EV charger will be beneficial (or even necessary) because it allows for much quicker charging and flexibility.

It may cost anywhere between €800 and €1,200 to have a home EV charger installed at home in Ireland. The cost of the charger and installation will depend on factors such as the complexity of the installation, the power output of the charger, and whether your electricity panel needs to be upgraded.

Yes, a grant of up to €300 is offered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland towards installation costs of electric car chargers. The grant is available to everyone, even to those who don’t own an EV. To receive the payment, you must ensure that you use a Safe Electric Registered Electrical Contractor.

Do you need a home EV charger?

It doesn’t take long to install an electric car charger. Assuming that your home’s maximum electricity output is adequate, a qualified electrician should be able to install a Level 2 EV charger in a matter of hours.

Yes, Level 2 chargers are ideal for home charging, as they allow you to charge the battery of your EV to full overnight. They come in different power outputs, and the battery size of your vehicle as well as the power output will determine how long it takes to go from 20% to 80% charge. But even large EVs can be almost fully charged overnight with a 7.4kW charger.

You can get a quote from a trusted supplier, which is the quickest and easiest way of getting a EV charger. Alternatively, you can purchase the charger yourself online and have an electrician visit your home to carry out the installation. While chargers can be bought online, they don’t always have the necessary electrical protection required.

Level 2 electric vehicle chargers can produce between 3.5 and 22 kW of power output. The power output of your charger will determine how long it takes to fully charge your electric car, however even EVs with a large, 90kW battery can be almost fully charged overnight using a 7.4kW charger.

The time it takes to fully charge an EV with a home charger will depend on the power output of the charger and the size of the battery in your EV. With a 22kW Level 2 charger, you could charge a medium-sized EV from 20% to 80% in under 2 hours, while it may take around 8 hours with 7.4kW charger.  With a medium-sized EV (60kW battery), a 11kW charger could charge your vehicle from 20% to 80% in under six hours.

By charging your electric car at home with a day/night meter (at 22.8c per kWh), you could travel 1,000 kilometres for roughly €600. 

Charging your electric car at home can be up to three times cheaper than using one of the hundreds of public charging points dotted across the country. But the overall costs associated with charging EVs will depend on how much electricity is being used with each session, and how often you need to charge your vehicle.

There are a number of manufacturers which offer electric vehicle chargers in Ireland. These include: