Recently Switch to an Electric Vehicle?
The shift to electric vehicles (EV) is well and truly underway, with more people than ever transitioning from traditional vehicles to cleaner alternatives. Last year, there was a record 74,472 electric vehicles on Irish roads, with this figure being a combination of Battery Electric Vehicles and Plugin Hybrid EV. Battery Electric Vehicles sales increased by 81% in 2022, further showing that thousands of new drivers are making the switch to electric vehicles, helping Ireland on its path to Net Zero.
You can opt to charge your car either at home or if you are out and about, at one of our many chargers conveniently located nationwide!
It’s a big change to move to an EV and we want to ensure that every EV driver is fully equipped with the knowledge to get the most out of their new vehicle. That’s why we’ve created an Essential information page for new EV drivers where we share some tips and advice.
We know that EVs are better for our health and the planet, but they also offer an enhanced driver experience, combining fun with functionality. EVs are smooth to drive and won’t jolt as you progress through the gears.
Many EVs offer advanced cruise control, SatNav and Bluetooth, as well as heated seating and steering wheels. What’s more - many EVs on the market now have increased real-life ranges of 300km+ to make your journeys even more efficient. EV drivers no longer have to worry about range anxiety.
They also offer the added benefit of cheaper motor tax, cheaper tolls, and cheaper car maintenance services!
Charging Network – Putting the Power in Your Hands
While most drivers will do most of their charging at home, for longer journeys, Ireland has a comprehensive public charging network, with more than 1,350 ESB standard, fast and high power charge points across the island of Ireland. If you are planning to spend a few hours in a place, our Standard chargers (up to 22kW AC) are perfect as they charge your car in approximately 1-6 hours while you go about your day. Our fast and high power chargers (on motorways and national sites) can provide up to 100km of driving range in as little as 30 minutes for fast chargers and 6 minutes for high power chargers.
Keep an eye out on the roads and on our ecar connect app to help you find where our chargers are located. You’ll notice them at shopping centres, train stations, car parks and on-street as well as at service stations on major inter-urban routes.
The ecar Connect App
We recommend for new EV drivers to download our ecar connect app, which is free to download from the App store and Google Play.
This app allows you to:
Quickly find your nearest charger and check if it’s available
Start and stop a charge at a public charger
Plan your journey
Sign up to use the network
Manage your account
Track your usage and view your charging history.
If you have any questions we are here to help. You can contact us via phone or email:
E: ecars@esb.ie
T: 00353 1 258 3799
Our dedicated customer care team are here to help, with our services available 24/7, 365 days a year. 71% of users found it useful last year, so we are sure that we can provide you with solutions to any problems you may encounter.
For further help, we recommend drivers to follow our Facebook page and sign up for our newsletters.
Enjoy getting used to your new EV and happy and safe driving from all of us here at ESB.