Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2024
162. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline the reasons for the disparity between domestic electric car charging unit prices and the rate per unit charged for on-street charging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17470/24]
View answerHaving an effective and reliable recharging network is essential to enabling drivers to choose electric. Home charging is the primary charging method for most Irish EV owners as it’s convenient and cheaper for the consumer as well assists in the overall management of the national grid. Over 80% of charging is expected to happen at home.
The National EV Infrastructure Strategy identifies four main categories of charging infrastructure. Each serves a different user need and depends on where and when people need to charge their EVs.
• Home/apartment charging
• Residential neighbourhood charging
• Destination charging
• Motorway/en-route charging
Home charging is the most cost effective method of charging and should remain the most common and easiest form of charging for the majority of vehicle users. Residential charging solutions are being developed and should replicate the home-charging pattern of charging vehicles at night, during off-peak periods, and at a lower cost, for citizens who do not have access to a home charge point.
Destination and motorway/en-route charging are installed by charge point operators who operate their own pricing models.
Price setting by electricity suppliers and charge point operators is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned and the Department has no role. Each such company has its own different approach to pricing decisions over time, in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base.
Any changes to the cost of charging are subject to the customers home energy costs in the event that they have a home EV charger, or the pricing models implemented by charge point operators in the case of public EV charging.
There are no current plans to introduce regulation on charging costs within the EV charging sector.
