The electric vehicle infrastructure revolution in Ireland is a system that has been greatly appreciated by most of the citizens. The use of clean energy is a direction that most people are aiming to achieve. This now leads to a predictive number of over 2 million charging stations by the time we are in 2030.
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Having a good idea of the charging stations and the systems that govern the stations makes it easier for you to confidently man oeuvre around the EV world. Charging stations have been spread all over Ireland in both the Northern and the Republic.
The list of stations available includes the public ones in the towns and cities, major highways, and destination corridors like shopping centers and tourist attractions.
Types of Charging Stations
The basis of any research on a charging station is the power output that the station offers the drivers. This is determined by your need for saving time as well as the distance that you want to travel. There are 4 general types of charging station power outputs. It is important that you understand all of them.
(3–7kW) Slow Chargers
These are mainly found in residential areas where the owners are aiming to use less energy to power their EV at their own convenience. With this, a normal full charge will take them around 10 hours, depending on the EV brand and the battery capacity. It is therefore preferred for overnight charging.
(7–22kW) Fast Chargers
They are mainly found in public charging stations where you can get a good boost of around 80 miles per hour, depending on your car and the battery capacity. This is great for when you need a top-up while you have a meal or are going shopping.
(43–50kW) Rapid Chargers
They can boost your battery to 80% capacity in 45 minutes. The speedy charge makes it perfect for major highways and routes that cater to people who are on long journeys and need a quick top-up before they continue with their journey.
(150–350kW) Ultra Rapid Chargers
This is the fastest charge system that can charge your battery to capacity in 20 minutes. This is, however, only advised to use when you are in need. The high-voltage power tends to destroy the battery.
Planning Your Charging Strategy
These are some of the basic steps in planning your charging strategy.
Route Planning through smartphone apps or Network apps that show you the most convenient route for you to follow and get efficient charging services.
Use the in-built navigation system of the EV to help you plan out your route based on your battery capacity level and other factors like speed, weather conditions, and terrain.
Consider reports from other EV users on the community forums that you have joined. The real-time reports help you plan out your stations.
Ensure you have buffer options or a backup charging station to help you in case the stations you had opted for face maintenance issues, unplanned down times, or traffic when you get there.
Register for network apps that have simplified payment and charging systems to ease your process and make the whole experience seamless.
The apps also have efficient location services that even show you the availability of stations and the charging power that they have.
Always install or have a backup payment system, possibly contact-less, that allows you to pay for the charge even if you don’t have the running network or there is an issue with the network.
Opt for locations that offer subscription modes, which are always cheaper than the pay-as-you-go option.
Choosing the lower power charge may take you more time, but it will cost you significantly less than when you use high power charges.
Align your charging needs with stations that have amenities like shopping centers, hotels, or tourist attractions to allow you to do other things as you wait for your EV to charge.
Ireland Major Charging Networks
There are several networks that serve the charging stations in Ireland. In most of them, you will find any or all of the following since their aim is to have a greater reach of people at a time. They all offer easy payment processing and community reach that you need to find out about and join if possible to ensure you make maximum use of the resources that are available to you.
ESB Energy
The ESB Energy networks work with over 1200 charge points, making it the most reliable one in Ireland. It was previously known as ESB eCars before the shift in title when it grew beyond the eCars system. Most of the stations that it handles are 22kW and 50kW power output stations.
They are strategically located along the highways to cater to drivers while they move from one city to another. The main locations for ESB accessible stations are Dublin Airport, Dundrum Town Center, and motorways like M1, M7, and M9.
IONITY
The Ionity network targets people who are traveling long distances all through Ireland. They therefore have a good list of stations that offer Ultra Rapid charger units to be able to boost the driver several miles in 20 minutes. Their stations are located on the major highways and service stations. This feature ensures that the drivers have multiple charging points, therefore reducing wait times, especially when you are doing cross-country trips.
EasyGo
EasyGo is a network system that serves the entire Ireland, making it convenient for people who are aiming to cross borders. It has both fast and rapid charging stations in the urban and rural areas of Ireland. It is the most preferred because of its competitive prices and user-friendly app that allows anyone to use and gain access to shopping centers, hotels, and public car parks that have charging stations that aim to serve your daily needs.
Tesla Supercharger Network
The Tesla system has expanded all over Ireland, with stations that can accommodate other EVs and not only the Tesla. They can accommodate speeds of up to 250kW rapid charging for batteries that can accommodate it. Such stations can be found in Hotels and Shopping centers like Dublin, Limerick, Waterford, and Galway.
Circle K and Applegreen
The major fuel stations in Ireland have decided to partner with the EV idea and install chargers in their fuel stations to increase their customer base. They have both the rapid and the ultra-rapid power systems, aiming for the people who have limited time to power their EVs.
Top Charging Locations in Ireland
The main charging stations in Ireland will be found in the following locations. You now have to identify which one serves your needs best and which ones are within your route. The following towns are not the only ones, there are many more others that you need to research and look into. These ones are just the ones in the major towns.
Dublin
This is the capital city of Ireland and therefore hosts a good number of the stations to serve the growing population. They can be found in public car parks, with many of them hosting fast and rapid charging units.
Dublin Airport
Red Cow Interchange
Dublin Port
St Stephen Green Shopping Center
Dundrum Town Center
The Point Village
Cork
It is the second-largest city with robust infrastructure for both the urban and rural settings.
Tralee
Cork Airport
Limerick City
Killarney
Mahon Point Shopping Center
Cork City Center
Ballincollig
Galway
On the western side of Ireland, Galway is the center of the thriving growth in infrastructure, making it the hub of many of the charging stations.
Sligo Town
Galway City Center
Galway Retail Park
Salthill
Northern Ireland
The main center for Northern Ireland is Belfast. There are several points within Belfast that have embraced the growing EV system and set up charging points to support it.
Derry
Belfast City Center
George Best Belfast City Airport
Victoria Square Shopping Center
Belfast International Airport
Strategic Charging Corridors
The charging corridors of Ireland are meaningful and intentional, covering the major motorways and fuel stations that offer easy top-up. Many of the routes have Applegreen and Circle K stations, which act as top-up charging stations that you could opt for.
M1 Dublin–Belfast Corridor
This route connects Drogheda, Dundalk, and Newry with other significant stops at Applegreen and Circle K. This is the connecting route between Dublin and Belfast.
M7 Dublin–Limerick
The notable stops here are Naas, Portlaoise, and Nenagh. The Ionity network system works here to offer a seamless system for charging your EV.
M8 Dublin–Cork
This route has stops in Abbeyleix, Cashel, and Fermoy while you are on your way from Cork to Dublin and back.
M4 Dublin–Galway
It is known as the western corridor with stations at Enfield, Kinnegad, and Athlone as the major options. There are other smaller stops closer to Galway that are more filter-specific, depending on what you need.
The Wild Atlantic Way
It is the coastal route with infrastructural development for stations from Donegal to Cork. Many of these stations have amenities close to them, like tourist hot spots that aid in the exploration of the Irish West Coast.
The Future of EV Charging in Ireland
The process of finding the most convenient charging stations in Ireland is getting better and better over time because of the advancements and changes that are currently happening.
The increase in the number of charging stations with the ability to handle rapid charging systems efficiently.
More support is being given to people with the ability to handle personal stations in the attempt to decongest the public charging stations.
Vehicle To Grid (V2G) technology that allows the EV to act as storage for energy that can then be dispensed back to the grid during the peak demand seasons. Positioning of the charging stations to be in all stopover amenities like hotels and shopping centers to make maximum use of the clientele that comes in those areas.
More support is being given by the government and organizations that prioritize the importance of clean energy in their functioning.
Tips for First-Time EV Drivers in Ireland
As a first-time EV driver, apart from knowing the routes and the stations that are within your vicinity, there are a few other tips that you need to adhere to if you want a seamless driving and charging experience while you are in Ireland and even across the border.
Understand the range of the vehicle that you have. This will be determined by the driving style, terrain, speed, and temperatures.
Ensure you have the essential network apps on your phone before you begin any journey. You should have linked the payment systems that you need to offer a seamless charge experience.
An efficient charge is 80% of the battery capacity to ensure longevity of the battery power. Don’t be in a hurry to push for 100% charge.
Driving in the winter requires more planning since the cold temperatures reduce the battery capacity by 20%, meaning you will need more charges to complete a journey that you would have used one charge.
In the cold weather, practicing battery preconditioning helps to maintain the battery power and reduce the resistance effect.
Join as many EV communities as you can in the regions that you often travel in. This gives you a real-time report on the status of the charging stations.
Conclusion
The process of searching for good EV charging stations is based on your ability to get access to some of the major networks and knowing specific details of the stations that you are looking for.
This could be in terms of connector type, charging speed, and physical locations. The numerous charging networks available and the community service allow the drivers a chance to interact with several networks to access the best one for them.
The support that it is giving the shift to EVs shows its clean energy objective, which is aimed at restoring the sustainability of the land. There are various stations in the major towns that you will access, and identify the one that is closest to you.
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