End to no-fee charge hubs for electric cars
Fees likely to be imposed on fast chargers this year and on all chargers by 2020
ENVIRONMENTALLY aware electric vehicle users will have to pay to recharge their vehicles at public charge points before the end of the year, Environment Minister Richard Bruton has warned
Up to now, to encourage take-up rates, the use of public charging points has been free.
However, Mr Bruton has warned the Dáil that while ‘charging points have been free and unlimited’, the ESB has signalled that this position will not continue indefinitely.
Fees will be introduced for fast chargers this year, and all chargers are due to carry fees by 2020.
The Government’s own lead on this issue has been criticised given the low number of charging points available for TDs and ministers.
Mr Bruton said the ESB is ‘entering into consultations with stakeholders on the introduction of fees for fast chargers later in the year and for standard chargers in 2020’.
‘Grid would need a €300m upgrade’
Mr Bruton also claimed that despite the changes, ‘the expectation is that many more entrants will come into the market when the service is no longer free’.
He added: ‘Providing adequate charging infrastructure is critical to ensure the continued growth in the uptake of electric vehicles’.
There are currently 668 standard public charge points in the ESB’s e-cars network, and a further limited number provided by local authorities and retail outlets. There are also 77 fast chargers, mainly on national routes.
Most standard public chargers can provide approximately 100km of range in one hour, whereas fast chargers typically provide 100km of range in just 20 minutes.
Since early last year, a €600 grant has been in place for installing home chargers and more than 1,000 grants have been paid out. That €600 does not cover the full cost and homeowners can expect to pay several hundred euros on top of the grant.
Amid concerns that the absence of chargers and the slow rate of re-powering is hindering the take-up of electric cars, Mr Bruton said: ‘Under the first call for applications from the Climate Action Fund, I approved funding of up to €10m to develop a nationwide, state-of-the-art electric vehicle fast charging network.’
The key elements include six high-speed charging hubs on motorways capable of charging eight vehicles simultaneously, and 16 high-speed charging hubs capable of charging four vehicles simultaneously.
Responding to queries by Sinn Féin’s Brian Stanley, Mr Bruton said rolling out a full infrastructure will cost far more than €10m.
In the Dáil, Mr Stanley warned that the ESB had stated in one of its own documents that ‘to connect 275,000 EVs [electric vehicles] and heat pumps, the grid would need an upgrade costing €300m’.
Mr Bruton said: ‘As the uptake of electric vehicles increases, we will have to fortify the grid. Capacity is one of the important aspects.’
Mr Bruton also revealed that new EU regulations will require employers with more than 20 parking spaces to provide charging points by 2020. This will require changes in the Dáil’s own parking infrastructure as the house has no electric charging facility.
The absence of such a facility has already been commented upon. Last week, Senator James Reilly told the Seanad: ‘I raised the fact that there is no charging point for electric cars in this Oireachtas.’
Dr Reilly claimed he had been ‘told last week that it would be there the following day, but as I stand here today, there is still no charging point for electric cars’.
He said: ‘I am aware of at least three other members of the two Houses who have electric cars and I hope to take delivery of one shortly.
‘If we are to show leadership and ask people to be mindful of the environment, make life changes and consider going electric or hybrid, we must lead by example. The fact that the Oireachtas does not even have charging points for people who work here sends such a poor message.’
‘I hope this issue will be taken seriously and acted upon a bit more expediently than it has been to date,’ Dr Reilly added.