Electric vehicles have become increasingly popular over the last few years in Ireland, as more and more people are seeking environmentally friendly and sustainable modes of transport. However, a key concern for potential owners of electric vehicles (EVs) is the charging infrastructure. In this post, we are going to discuss what you need to charge an EV at home and in public spaces.
Charging your electric car at home
To charge an electric car at home, you will need the following:
A standard socket: surprisingly, you can charge your EV by simply plugging it into a standard socket with a cable that will plug into a standard plug socket. This does however mean slower charging times. This method would not be recommended as your primary source of charging, due to the fact that standard charging sockets are not best suited to supply high levels of power for long periods of time.
An EV home charging point: the recommended solution would be to install a dedicated charging point at your home. The charge point will safely charge your EV at a rate that suits the power supply. This is the fastest and most efficient way to charge your electric vehicle. They are also quite affordable at the moment, with the Sustainable Authority of Ireland (SEAI) offering grants of up to €600 towards the installation of an EV charging point at your home.
You can apply for a home charging grant with the SEAI as long as you:
- Have suitable off-street parking
- Your property has not been associated with an EV charging point grant previously
- You do not commence any work before you have received your letter of offer
The SEAI also support owners and residents of multi-unit development or apartment blocks to install chargers for their electric cars. This grant is designed for the bulk installation of chargers at a single location and also supports labour and construction costs. You can find further information on grants here.
Can I install the EV charging point myself?
No, the installation will need to be performed by a registered installer who will come to your home and access your property. This will help you decide what location is best suited for your EV charging point. We recommend considering the distance from the charging point to your car, as the further away, the more it will cost to install the charger.
The charger will be connected to your standard electric supply setup, having your meter and fuse box near where you park would be the best solution. If this option is unsuitable, the setup may take a little more work.
Charging your EV in public spaces
Charging your electric vehicle in public spaces is quite simple, once you locate a public charging point, you simply open the charging port on your EV. Your charging point will be located either in front or at the side of the car, depending on the model.
Next, you connect to the charging point, please note that some operators do not provide a cable, so you may need to use your own charging cable. And finally, you make your payment. Most charging point providers accept contactless payment however, some of the older networks may require users to have an app or an account set up to process payment.
*Please note to be sure and charge your EV to 80% when charging your car in public places. According to real-world studies, it may take significantly longer to fill the 20% compared to the first 80%.
Charging your EV to 80% will take around 30 minutes, and the last 20% will also take around 30 minutes. It is best not to keep charging after you reach 80%, overcharging can cause your battery to overheat. Make sure you don’t treat the charging point as your parking space, once your car is charged move somewhere else as you need to free up the charging station for other EV owners looking to charge their vehicles. It is also important to note that some charge point operators impose an overstay charge that can result in a charging session being more costly than anticipated.
How do I know where the public EV charging points are located?
There are currently 1,350 electric vehicle charging points located across Ireland, you can use eStation’s free-to-use app that will show you the location of every EV charging point across the country. You simply plug in, pay and plan your journey with our dedicated app that is compatible with tablets, iPhones, and Android.
Thinking of Making The Switch?
If you are considering making the switch to electric, get in touch with eStation. Since 2015, our dedicated team has been supplying and installing a wide range of EV charging solutions for the commercial, private, and public sectors throughout Ireland. Our aim is to make the switch as simple as possible by designing the perfect EV solutions for charging your EV at home or in public places.
Get in touch today and become a part of Ireland’s green future.