On Friday 9 September An Taoiseach Enda Kenny will drop the flag on the annual high octane charity event, The Cannonball Run. More than 150 supercars will participate in a 1,000km road trip in aid of Barretstown Camp. This year however the usual array of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches will have an interloper in the form of the ESB ecars Nissan LEAF.
As part of the ESB's sponsorship of the event the ecars team will drive through fourteen counties utilising charge points along the route in hopes of demonstrating that the charging infrastructure exists for an electric car to travel around the country. On Sunday 11, the final day of the Cannonball Run, the ESB ecars team will launch a fast charging point in Topaz Athlone. The location of this point was strategically chosen to enable motorists to travel east-west and north-south.
"Cannonball not only raises important funding but it also helps to promote awareness about the work they do to rebuild the lives of sick children," said Paul Mulvaney, Managing Director ESB ecars. "We are delighted to support this worthy cause and offer a unique aspect to the event by driving the first ever electric car in a Cannonball Run."