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Electric Vehicles

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020

Thursday, 30 July 2020

Questions (142)

Francis Noel Duffy

Question:

142. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will review the current charges for electric vehicle charging points; if he will consider reducing these charges until there is a greater uptake of electric and hybrid cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19904/20]

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Written answers

There are currently in excess of 19,000 electric vehicles (EVs) under taxation in Ireland. This represents a five-fold increase on the number of electric vehicles that were on Irish roads at the end of 2017. The number of electric vehicles is expected to continue to increase as more models become available and the supporting infrastructure continues to be put in place.

In October 2017, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities published an independent regulatory decision that, inter alia, set out the need for the future provision of EV charging infrastructure to operate on a commercial basis.

This provision of free fuel for electric vehicles is not sustainable on a commercial basis. The Low Emission Vehicle Taskforce, an inter-Departmental group established in December 2016 to consider the range of measures and options available to Government to accelerate the take-up of low carbon technologies in the road transport sector, noted that the introduction of fees would further incentivise charging at home and provide an income stream to support the operating costs associated with public EV charging infrastructure.However, it is recognised that capital grants will be required to reduce the capital cost of installing new infrastructure. That is why the Government is investing, in a sustained way, in EV charging infrastructure across the country. The Government is committed to expanding and upgrading this network to ensure accessibility across a well-developed and modern charging network.

To support home charging, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), on behalf of my Department, administers an EV Home Charger Grant of up to €600 towards the purchase and installation of an EV home charger unit. The SEAI also administers an EV Public Charge Point Grant to local authorities to install charge points for EV owners who rely on public streets and car parks to park near their homes. A total of 75% of the capital costs is provided through the grant, up to a maximum of €5,000 per charge point.

In addition, €10 million has been committed from the Climate Action Fund to assist ESB eCars in expanding their charging network and this has leveraged another €10 million investment from ESB eCars. This intervention alone will result in:

- 90 additional high power chargers (150kW chargers), each capable of charging two vehicles;

- 52 additional fast chargers (50kW charger), which may replace existing 22 kW chargers; and,

- 264 replacement standard chargers (22kW chargers) to more modern technology and with each consisting of two charge points.

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