ESB has opened its latest high-speed electric car charging hub in the Crescent Shopping Centre in Dooradoyle, Limerick.
Uptown to 200kW
The hub has four 200kW chargers, each with two connectors, allowing up to eight electric cars to charge at the same time. Assuming that only one car is connected, that the charger is running at its full 200kW, and that the car can handle that fast a charge, ESB claims that you can add as much as 100km of extra range in as little as six minutes. Obviously, if two cars are connected to the same charger, the maximum charging power drops to 100kW per vehicle.
ESB says that the latest chargers are in addition to the 21 other charging points it operates in Limerick county, seven of which are in Limerick city. The fact that the new hub is in such a key shopping centre means that it is intended to benefit not only those living in Limerick, but electric car users across the entire west coast and mid-west region.
Constantly upgrading
Welcoming this announcement, John Byrne, Head of eMobility at ESB, said: “At ESB we know how important it is to have access to EV charging facilities on the go and are constantly upgrading and adding new charging locations to our extensive network. We are thrilled to announce the addition of eight new high power electric vehicle chargers to the Crescent Shopping Centre in Limerick. This expansion is a major step in connecting citizens in the mid-west region to critical charging infrastructure.
“EVs have developed into a key aspect of the Irish car market and play an important role in helping to achieve Ireland’s climate change targets. At ESB we are dedicated to enhancing this network to ensure it’s there for drivers when they need it and can empower them to make the transition to electric driving as easy as possible.”
Driver of change
Brian O'Leary, Centre Manager of Limerick Crescent Shopping Centre also welcomed the new charging hub, and said: “The Crescent Shopping Centre has played an integral role in Limerick and the mid-west for over 50 years as a major driver of change and advancement in the region. We are delighted that we can continue to innovate and empower our customers 50 years on and this partnership with ESB is something we welcome, as it increases the sustainability offerings we can provide to shoppers. We know that our loyal customers are more environmentally conscious than ever and the additional charging infrastructure installed by ESB makes it easier and more efficient for them to charge their EV vehicles while visiting and availing of facilities at The Crescent Shopping Centre.”
ESB says that it has fitted 41 high-power charging hubs nationwide over the past two years and replaced over 300 chargers with newer, faster technology. “These innovative charging hubs will play a key role in supporting Ireland’s EV transition, which is critical in terms of meeting Ireland’s ambitious transport targets as laid out in the Climate Action Plan”, said the company.