CO CLARE ranks fourth nationally in terms of availability of EV charging infrastructure for zero emissions vehicles according to a recent analysis by Geotab.
With 1250 Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) sold in the county over the past ten years, Clare has one charger for approximately 7 (7.26) BEVs in the county.
This puts Clare near the top of the table, with Kerry coming out on top with one EV charger for every six (5.90) BEVs in the county. The Kingdom ranks slightly ahead of Longford (5.93) and Mayo (6.61) based on the analysis of ten years of Battery Electric Vehicle sales in each county and the latest public EV charging infrastructure data available locally.
Charging anxiety has been a factor in the slow adoption of Battery Electric Vehicles, with the public opting for hybrid vehicles for a sense of security, with a 24% growth in new hybrid cars licensed in the first 11 months of the year.
Progress has been made, however, with the Government announcing its National Road EV Charging Network Plan earlier this year with a commitment to have recharging stations every 60 km. The steady improvement in Ireland’s public charging network is highlighted with the recent opening of IONITY Charlestown, the country’s largest, high power charging hub with 12 350kW CCS units at the site.
Commenting on the analysis, Phil Barnes, Geotab Business Development Manager – Ireland & UK, said, “While the majority of people charge their EVs at home, public chargers are a crucial piece of infrastructure that give people peace of mind that they can get from A to B without being worried about being stuck at the side of the road. Whether it’s a taxi driver working a long shift or a family taking a trip from one end of the country to the other, people want to know they can get access to a charger if they need one.
“The latest data is really positive as it illustrates how quickly the charging network is expanding and catching up with the amount of service stations available for traditional vehicles. The ambition and measures set out in the Programme for Government to substantially increase the number of public charging points, putting us ahead of the European average, and reduce the average distance between EV recharging points will help increase the momentum behind the adoption of zero emission vehicles in Ireland”.
