Driving the Future: The Evolution of EVs in Ireland

by Robin Porter

Fully electric vehicles (EVs) first entered the Irish market in 2010, with the Nissan Leaf being “the first mass-market EV”.

Early adopters hopped on the band wagon and took the gamble. At the time there was no public charging network, with promises of a rigorous and widespread charging network to come. Now, fourteen years on, Irelands EV landscape has changed considerably. EVs are now bigger, faster, flashier and come with much better range, all packaged with a pretty price tag. Along with improvements to EVs, the charging network has improved, albeit on a regional basis, biased towards the east of the country, particularly Dublin. According to a 2021 survey, EV ownership in Dublin is twice that of the rest of the country, at 4.9% in comparison to 2.5% (CSO, 2021), both figures have likely risen since.

The Evolution of EVs: Better Performance and Range

The Irish motorist has never had as much choice as they do today. Traditional petrol and diesels are available, along with hybrid EVs, available as plug-in and mild (non-plug in) variants. Hybrids combine the components of standard ICE cars with the added battery, motor and inverter of EVs for increased efficiency, albeit with added weight.

‘Buy-in’ costs of EVs have long been a controversial topic. MSRPs of EVs typically come in higher than those of comparable petrol and diesel vehicles. However, government grants and running costs can sway the financial scales in favour of EV ownership, but this is lifestyle dependant. The SEAI offer a grant to assist motorists in purchasing EVs. Only available on new EVs up to an MSRP of €60,000, the SEAI will offer buyers €3,500 towards purchase costs.

The Evolution of EVs: Better Performance and Range

The Financial Side - Costs and Incentives

Lifestyle factors greatly affect the long-term financial viability of EVs. If you have a driveway, domestic chargers can be installed, with assistance from government grants and manufacturer incentives. These chargers allow EV owners to avail of cheaper nighttime electricity rates, typically 50% of daytime costs, to charge their cars. This is the cheapest way to run an EV. With the average commute distance in Ireland being 16.8km, as of 2022 according to CSO (CSO, 2022), even the shortest-range EV can suffice for the to-and-fro day to day journeys. However, if your lifestyle entails longer commutes or frequent long journeys, EVs are still highly advantageous, with high end models achieving upwards of 700km of range (manufacturer stated). While public charging is widely available, price/kWh is considerably more costly than the nighttime domestic rate.

Where EVs may not meet your lifestyle, is if you don’t have a driveway. Accommodations like apartments and terraced houses may not have the real estate available for a domestic charger. This will force EV owners to use the public charging network, at costs outside the advantageous window. Along with this, the logistics of charging become a nuisance, having to consider journeys days in advance and spend considerable time at charging stations.

Public Charging: Fast and Convenient, but Costly

One benefit of the public charging network is fast charging. Domestic chargers can reach a rate of about 7kW. This is powerful enough to fully charge a typical EV in about 8-hours, i.e., overnight. However, public fast chargers are considerably more powerful. According to the SEAI there are “over 2,500 (and growing) charging stations on the island of Ireland // These consist of AC (standard 22kW) chargers and DC (25 to 350+ kW) chargers” (SEAI, 2024) capable of charging most EVs to a range of >200km in under 30 minutes. Take the VW ID.4 for example, the most popular EV in Ireland based on 2024 new vehicle registrations to date (Money Guide Ireland, 2024), you can DC charge this EV from 10% to 80% in 28 minutes (EV Box, 2024), with a max range of 550km (Complete Car, 2024) this charge will give you about 400km of range.

Advanced Features and Technology in EVs

Comparing like for like, EVs typically come with more “bells and whistles”, then conventional petrol and diesel cars. This is down to the greater abundance of computers and ancillary components. All EVs are automatic, due to the inter-dynamics between key components like battery, motors, and inverters. Automatics are still something you’d pay a premium for in a petrol or diesel. Along with the EV tech, a new one pedal driving feature is available on many EVs. While the brake pedal is still present, one pedal driving means it may only be necessary in emergency situations. This driving feature also greatly improves range, allowing the EV to recoup some electricity when decelerating.

Why EVs are Gaining Popularity in Ireland

While devout petrol-heads may remain disapproving of EVs, their rise in popularity is down to several inalienable factors. Instant torque from electric motors makes many ‘common’ EVs comparable in acceleration to high end performance cars, considerate charging makes cost per km travelled less than that of an equivalent petrol or diesel car, added tech make for a more high-end experience and government (& manufacturer) incentives continue to reduce the buy-in margin between EVs and traditional cars. Despite a lull in adoption rate, EVs are sure to occupy a higher portion of Irelands fleet in the coming years.