This initiative will support Ireland's Electric Vehicle (EV) recharging infrastructure and promote sustainable transportation. It is the first part of a major plan to ensure that there are more recharging points along our roads. A second grant scheme concentrating on national roads is expected to open later this year.
The new recharging infrastructure provided under this Scheme, along with those planned for the next national roads scheme, is expected to be installed by the end of 2025. Once the grant-aided recharging infrastructure is in place, the average distance between high-power recharging pools along the designated routes will be 45 kilometres.
Eamon Ryan, Minister for Transport, said: "EVs are an important part of our journey to reducing emissions in the transport sector. They are cleaner, better cars but we want to provide extra certainty to people either using an EV now or thinking about one into the future. Putting in place these banks of high-powered recharging points is an important first step in our commitment to people and to a more sustainable transport system.
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"We will follow it up with many other schemes to ensure people know that they can charge their cars easily. This will complement our other commitments such as the EV purchase grant scheme, which will remain unchanged again next year, our grants for home chargers and the continued VRT reduction for EVs. Add this to the greater choice and price competitiveness on the market, we hope more and more people will be encouraged to choose electric."
The 131 high-power recharging points will add 24,260 kilowatts (24 megawatts) of recharging capacity. Funded by Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) through the first EV Charging Infrastructure LDV (Light Duty Vehicle) En-Route Grant Scheme and overseen by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), this initiative was launched in February. The scheme is designed to accelerate the expansion of EV recharging infrastructure across Ireland's road network by encouraging private sector participation.
Peter Walsh, CEO of TII, said: "Our collaboration with ZEVI and private businesses underscores the importance of public-private partnerships in advancing EV recharging infrastructure. These recharging points will not only benefit individual drivers but also contribute to Ireland’s overall environmental objectives."
No successful applications were received for additional high-power recharging stations to supplement the existing pool at Cashel, located on the M8 corridor between Junction 3 Ballacolla and Dunkettle. This route is also served by other recharging stations.
However, additional LDV en-route grant schemes are under development and will seek to address any areas of the network requiring additional support, where it was not possible to make sufficient awards under the initial LDV grant scheme, as well as providing further EV recharging infrastructure coverage of the National Road Network.
This initial scheme marks a major advancement in Ireland's pursuit of clean energy goals under the National EV Charging Network Plan. The Plan outlines a strategy for rapidly expanding charging infrastructure along motorways, primary and secondary roads, as well as regional and local networks in cities, towns and villages throughout Ireland.
The scheme is one of several key actions and deliverables from ZEVI and TII in 2024.
