Kildare getting two motorway EV charging upgrades

The Circle K M9 service area outside Kilcullen is to get a major electric car charging upgrade. It is one of 17 locations on motorways around the country in which charging 'pools' will be built with banks of charging points. The Circle K at Junction 7 on the M4 at Maynooth is the other County Kildare location slated for upgrade.

In total, according to the Department of Transport, 131 new Fast and Ultra-Fast recharging points will be established. The infrastructure will be built by private business, grant aided by the Department of Transport.

Though timelines for individual locations have not yet been detailed, all are expected to be in place by the end of 2025, as will a second tranche of grant-aided 'pools' on the country's national 'N' roads.

Ultra-Fast charging points can deliver power at up to 350kW per hour. The current charging points at the Kilcullen site are one each 50kW and 150kW. There are frequently a number of electric cars waiting their turns to get on one of the units.

As yet there is no indication of the number of changers to be available in individual pools, but will likely vary between four and eight depending on the traffic levels on the route.

Green Party Local Representative for Kildare, Dr Lorraine Benson praised the announcement. 

She said: “During the local elections in Kildare a number of people raised the issue of charging infrastructure with me. I am delighted that we can now report improvements in Kildare and for drivers along the M7, M9 and the M4 .”