Dublin’s four local authorities have announced plans to install 200 additional public electric vehicle (EV) chargers across the city and surrounding areas over the next two years. This project aims to address the growing need for public charging, especially for those unable to charge their EVs at home, such as residents in apartments or townhouses.
The infrastructure project is being managed by Irish company ePower, selected through a Europe-wide tender process. The chargers will be installed at 50 locations across Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. These locations will include local authority-owned car parks, community centres, libraries and sports clubs, with the first chargers expected to be operational by early 2025.
Addressing the growing demand for public charging
Despite Dublin already leading Ireland in the number of EV charging points, most are privately installed, and there is a shortage of publicly accessible chargers. With EV ownership on the rise, driven by decreasing vehicle prices and advances in technology, EV registrations in Dublin are expected to increase significantly over the next few years. Projections suggest that by 2030, 138,000 EVs will be registered in the region, with around 25 per cent of these vehicles dependent on public charging infrastructure. To accommodate this growth, the Dublin EV Strategy, developed by the local councils, has set a target of installing 1,650 charge points by 2030.
Charging speeds and locations
The new charging points will offer fast-charging capabilities, with 90 per cent of them delivering up to 100kW. This will allow drivers to charge their vehicles quickly, reducing wait times. The chargers will also support contactless payments via debit and credit cards. The full list of locations is still being determined, with updates expected from local authorities and through the ePower app. The first phase of the rollout will focus on high-traffic destinations such as Bremore Castle, Howth Harbour, Bushy Park, Tallaght Stadium and St. Anne's Park, along with libraries and leisure centres.
Encouraging the adoption of EVs
The project is supported by Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), a government initiative promoting the switch to electric vehicles. The Irish government aims to have 845,000 EVs on Irish roads by 2030, aligning with the European Union’s goal of ensuring that all new cars and vans sold from 2035 are zero-emission vehicles.
This rollout marks the first time local authorities in Ireland have collaborated on a large-scale EV infrastructure project, aiming to improve public charging access and support the growing adoption of electric vehicles across Dublin.