Charging provider EasyGo has announced that it will begin the roll-out of 200 new 50kW fast chargers across Ireland, with 70 initial locations already earmarked for Offaly, Mayo, Cavan, Waterford, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Monaghan.
Zero-cost to local councils
Another 130 sites are being identified at the moment, and all will be the sites of Eir public phone boxes. The agreement between EasyGo and Eir will see the 'Tritium' chargers installed and moribund phone boxes removed, all at zero cost to local councils.
With one-in-seven new cars sold this year being fully electric, and that number set to rise rapidly in the coming years, Ireland sorely needs a fast expansion of the public charging network.
Chris Kelly, founder and technical director of EasyGo, commented on this project: "We are delighted to work with so many local authorities on this programme as well as with our partners in Eir and Tritium. Our team is already actively rolling out the plan to install 70 new fast Tritium chargers and we'll continue to engage with local authorities and look forward to identifying 130 more locations around the country. This rollout is consistent with the national strategy outlined by Department of Transport in the Zero Emissions Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) plan. These chargers will make the transition to EVs in rural Ireland much easier and will be located in convenient town centre locations across the country."
Rural areas
"In rural areas, where public transport is far less available, it is even more important that people can go electric with confidence. That is why these partnerships across Ireland are so important to provide fast charging for both local residents and visitors," said Kelly.
Speaking at the Business Post EV Summit in Dublin today, David Nicholl, Tritium's Chief Sales Officer, said: "As an Irishman, I'm incredibly proud that Tritium has been selected as the exclusive technology partner for this project which will bolster Ireland's transition to electric vehicles. With Tritium's world-class fast chargers, electric vehicle drivers in Ireland will gain access to a fast and convenient charger designed to thrive in any environment. The efforts of EasyGo and Eir will not only increase fast charger availability, but also make a positive environmental impact. Firstly, by encouraging more drivers in Ireland to adopt electric vehicles and secondly, by repurposing existing infrastructure to bring these chargers online. I look forward to experiencing these chargers first-hand as I travel with Chris and the EasyGo team as we roll out these chargers in towns across the country."
Climate change plan
Oliver Loomes, CEO of Eir, said: "Electric vehicles are a critical part of the Government's Climate Action Plan which sets out a target of almost one million electric vehicles on the road by 2030. In order for Ireland to move to greener electric vehicles, we must have the required infrastructure in place, not just in cities, but across all of Ireland. We are proud to partner with EasyGo and each of these county councils to assist in the installation of EV charging points across the country. This new infrastructure will benefit the community the way the public payphone service once did. The chargers will not only benefit the people living and working in Waterford, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Mayo, Offaly, Cavan and Monaghan, but also those travelling through. Today, EasyGo and Eir are in discussion with county councils across the country, and we hope others will follow this lead. By replacing unused infrastructure with fast EV charging, we are helping to make the transition to electric vehicle ownership a viable alternative for people across Ireland."