Kildare’s EV charging network ranks among lowest in Ireland
Photo by Kindel Media: https://www.pexels.com/photo/city-traffic-industry-charging-9799998/
Kildare has been ranked sixth last in terms of the availability of public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for zero-emission vehicles, according to a recent analysis by Geotab.
The study places Kildare 21st nationwide, revealing that the county has just one charger for every 18 Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) in the area.
This puts Kildare near the bottom of the list, with counties like Kerry, Longford, and Mayo performing significantly better.
Kerry, for instance, has one charger for every 5.9 BEVs, ranking the highest in the country. Longford follows closely behind at 5.93, and Mayo comes in at 6.61 chargers per BEV.
The data is based on the past ten years of BEV sales and the most recent public charging infrastructure statistics available.
The slow adoption of BEVs has been partly attributed to "charging anxiety," with many consumers opting for hybrid vehicles for peace of mind, with a 24% increase in new hybrid cars seen in the first 11 months of 2024.
The Government's National Road EV Charging Network Plan, announced earlier this year, aims to improve access to recharging stations, with a commitment to having charging points located every 60 km across the country.
Recent advancements, such as the opening of IONITY Charlestown—Ireland’s largest high-power charging hub with 12 350kW CCS units—highlight the growing progress.
The Geotab analysis also shows that while the ratio of BEVs to public chargers is improving, there remains significant inconsistency across counties.7 While counties like Kerry and Mayo have a relatively high number of chargers per BEV, regions like Meath, Waterford, and Louth lag behind, with Meath alone having one charger for every 36 BEVs.
As the number of BEVs continues to rise, largely due to the introduction of more affordable models like the Citroën Ami, priced from €9,990, the demand for expanded charging infrastructure will grow.
The Irish EV Association’s latest analysis suggests that the number of charging points could triple by the end of 2025 compared to pre-2023 levels, with over 80 planning applications for fast-charger sites already in the works.
