EV public charging costs now exceeding those for petrol and diesel

Electric car drivers are now paying more to charge at filling stations and public charging points compared to petrol or diesel cars.

The latest electricity price increases also mean those who cannot charge at home are now paying up to six times more for roadside electricity.

Electric vehicle drivers who are worst hit by the latest electricity price increases announced by the ESB this week are those who do not have access to a home charger.

Typically, apartment dwellers and those whose homes open directly on to the street cannot avail of home chargers. The result is they pay up to six times more for electricity for their vehicles than those who have home charging and the cheapest night-time rates.

There are nine large scale operators in the EV market supplying charging points at filling stations and roadside hubs, with an array of different price tariffs.

Motorists charging at home can charge their vehicles at rates as low as about 12 cent per kWh using night-time electricity, on a fixed rate. But those dependent on fast or superfast charging hubs, typically along the State’s motorways and long-distance routes, can pay up to six times that price, or more.

This compares unfavourably with the price of diesel and petrol. A mid-range car with a battery capacity of about 80kWh would typically deliver about 450km in winter and would cost almost €70 to fill on contactless chargers without a monthly subscription. Subscriptions come at an additional cost.

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In contrast, filling a family diesel car with a 1.6 litre engine typically costs about €110 – giving a range of about 950 kilometres.

The costs are a setback for Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien, who on Wednesday launched the National EV Infrastructure Strategy 2026-2028, setting out the next phase of Ireland’s plan to expand and “future-proof” the electric vehicle charging network.

The strategy does include expanding neighbourhood charging options for people without access to home charging, “including those living in apartments and higher density housing”, the Department of Transport said.

But a spokeswoman for the department said: “Price setting by charge point operators is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned.”

“With over 20 commercial CPOs operating in Ireland, there are no current plans to introduce regulation of charging costs within the public EV charging sector. The Department of Transport will continue to monitor developments in the EV charging market, including pricing trends and impacts on users who rely on public charging,” she said.

She also said the National EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2026-2028 “will identify charging requirements at local level, including neighbourhood charging solutions for residents without access to private off-street parking.”

She said: “Home charging remains, however, the most cost-effective method of charging. The Department of Transport encourages overnight home charging whenever possible and estimates that over 80 per cent of charging will take place at home.”

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