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To meet the world’s climate target in 2030, the production and sales of electric cars must increase by almost 80% to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
As electric vehicle (EV) sales continue to rise in Ireland, questions arise about the availability of charging stations – including how much it costs to charge an electric car in Ireland.
Unlike gas-powered cars that require petrol or diesel, EVs run on electricity.
Unfortunately for Irish residents, Ireland’s EV charging cost is the fourth most expensive in Europe. Calculating the charging costs ahead of time is extremely important if you plan to buy a new or used electric car.
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The Cost of Charging an Electric Vehicle In Ireland
There is no free EV charging station in Ireland. However there are different pricing systems depending on the provider and location..
Some providers may charge a fixed fee for using their service, while others charge per kWh (kilowatt-hour). Here’s an example of what you might have to pay while charging EVs in public chargers in Ireland.
| Standard Charging | €0.563/kWh |
| Fast Charging | €0.647/kWh |
| High Power Charging | €0.682/kWh |
Other factors, such as the charger type, the electricity tariff, and the vehicle model, can affect the cost of charging.
The average cost to charge an EV in public chargers typically ranges between €6 and €10. Additionally, some electrical power providers offer a special low-cost tariff, thus lowering the cost by up to 50%.
If you’re using a charger with a kWh pricing system, you would pay around €21 for a full charge. Using a charger with a fixed fee would cost you about €14 (€0.24 kWh). Installing a home EV charger lowers the cost to around €0.15/kWH, but you’ll have to splurge a larger sum for the system installation.
On average, it would cost around €17 to charge an electric car from empty to full. The electrical costs for running an EV are estimated to amount to €4.97/100 km.
Furthermore, Electric Ireland recently introduced a new home electric+ plan that allows EV owners to install a dedicated meter to track how much they spend on charging their electric car.
Add-on options are also available to lower electricity costs based on the time of day:
- Night boost plan: This add-on plan lowers electricity costs at night, allowing you to charge your EV for €0.05 (5 cents) per kWh.
- Weekender plan: This add-on plan allows you to enjoy free charging on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am to 11 pm.
Based on this analysis, the amount needed to charge an electric car in Ireland can vary depending on the type of charger used. But compared to gas cars, charging an EV is significantly more affordable.
The Methods of Electric Car Charging in Ireland
There are four ways of charging an electric vehicle, and they include the following:
- Home charging using a three-pin socket
- Wall-mounted box installation
- Use a public charger
- At the workplace, using charging facilities
You can use a regular wall outlet, but it would take ages to charge your EV fully. On the other hand, using a fast charger may threaten and reduce the battery’s lifespan, so it’s not advisable.
For this reason, most EV owners prefer to use a slower charger overnight instead of a fast charger unless they’re in a hurry.
Nevertheless, a charging station is designed to reduce charging time. Instead of waiting at least 10 hours, you will only have to wait around 2 hours.
SEAI EV Charger Grant: Charging Stations at Homes and Workplaces
Through SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland), the Irish government initiated a grant strategy to promote and increase the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.
The grant helps fund car charging points at homes and workplaces, thereby encouraging and making it easy for the Irish people to trade their standard cars for electric cars. The amount provided for this assistance is €600.
Did you know?
One-fifth of Ireland’s total emissions constitute emissions from transport.
This means increasing the use of electric vehicles in Ireland can be considered an essential part of the government’s effort to achieve its climate change goals by 2030.
The Charging Cost per 100 km in Ireland
In the table below, we compare the most cost-efficient EVs based on the charging costs.
| EV Model | Battery Capacity (kWh) | Home Charge | Slow Charge | Fast Charge |
| Hyundai IONIQ Electric | 40 | €1.61 | €4.34 | €4.94 |
| Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus | 50 | €1.62 | €4.38 | €4.99 |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor | 75 | €1.65 | €4.46 | €5.08 |
| Fiat 500e Convertible/Hatchback and Hyundai Kona Electric (39kWh) | 42 | €1.67 | €4.51 | €4.51 |
| Hyundai Kona Electric (64kWh) | 68 | €1.70 | €4.59 | €5.22 |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range Performance | 75 | €1.71 | €4.63 | €5.26 |
| Lucid Air | 113 | €1.72 | €4.65 | €5.29 |
| Mercedes EQA* | 60 | €1.72 | €4.65 | €5.29 |
Electric Car Popularity In Ireland
With the Irish government targeting 936,000 EV adoptions by 2030, SEAI data shows that over 110,000 EVs were on the Irish road at the end of January 2024.
Between 2019 and 2020, the Nissan Leaf became the most popular vehicle in Ireland due to its extremely low running costs (4 cents/mile).
In 2021, the Volkswagen ID.4, Kia Niro, and Tesla Model 3 joined the list of the most popular electric cars in Ireland. In 2023, the Volkswagen ID was the most popular and best-selling electric car in Ireland, followed by the Tesla Y model.
Regarding the electric market in Ireland, the 2023 year-end sale of electric vehicles (full battery EVs) accounted for 19.7% of the new car market.
Conclusion
The Irish government’s intervention in tackling the climate’s greenhouse effect is gaining momentum by providing affordable plans for EV users to charge at home and a technology that facilitates a faster mechanism for fully charging EV batteries.
With cheaper electricity costs, Ireland is on course to see many motorists adopt the use of electric cars at an improved rate. Potential EV owners don’t need to worry about the durability of the batteries, as they can last for 10 – 20 years before a replacement can be considered.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can solar panels reduce the cost of charging an EV?
Yes. Charging an EV with solar energy is 51% cheaper than charging with electricity and 80% cheaper when using public chargers.
How Long Do EV Car Batteries Last?
An EV battery can last for 10 – 20 years before it needs to be replaced.
How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
The average cost of charging an electric car in Ireland is around €0.20 per kWh. It will cost around €12 to fully charge a car with a 60 kWh battery.
How much does it cost to run an electric car in Ireland?
This may vary depending on the type of EV, battery, and usage on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. But with a 54kWh battery and a full charge once per week, the average cost to fully charge an electric car is around €9.10 with the monthly cost usually around €36.00.
