With well over a million electric vehicles (EVs) now on the road, 73,000 of those in Ireland, and their production and purchase increasing by the day across the EU, it might seem that car owners are generally keen to get onboard with ‘clean’ transport. However, there are still some significant practical reservations that the driving public have about EVs, not least because of the work that needs to be done on the infrastructure supporting their use.
Almost 50% of the people we surveyed said they would consider purchasing an EV in the future, but they still wouldn’t choose one for their next vehicle. An additional 37% stated they would never want an electric car. The main concerns for both groups were cost and charging. Specifically, the cost of purchasing an EV, the distance it can travel and the availability of charging points.
With the EU’s ban on the sale of all new petrol diesel and hybrid cars planned from 2035, EV cost and charging issues are a high priority for the industry and indeed the country. While here at CarTakeBack we’re not in a position to subsidise your next car purchase, or install you a free charging point! We can at least give you a realistic, current overview of these issues and point you to the best advice on the web…
While the majority of EV models are still more expensive than their traditional-fuelled counterparts, with the EU’s Zero Emission targets requiring car manufacturers to meet higher targets for new electric car sales, there are more affordable models being introduced into the market. The cheapest EV available in Ireland is the Dacia Spring, which can be purchased from around €17,o00.
Clearly the initial pay-out will still be a barrier to car buyers – there aren’t many of us with thousands ‘spare’ in our budgets! However, grants and the relatively low running price means some car buyers are able to see past the inflated purchase price.
EVs still benefit from a special rate of Motor Tax – if your car doesn’t emit any exhaust emissions (if its CO2 value is 0g/km) – you will pay the cheapest rate of car tax at €120 per year.
With the majority of people buying vehicles second-hand, there will of course be more options available on the market as time goes on. Although the ban on the sale of new hybrids will come into play in 2035, they will, of course, still be available to buy second hand and may be a more affordable and/or viable way to dip your feet into EV ownership.
If you are keen to move over to a brand new EV, there are still significant grants available from the government that were set up to encourage consumers to make the switch to EVs. Depending on the purchase price of the car, you can get up to a maximum of €3500. Full details are available on the SEAI website.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland also has grants for home charging units. You can claim up to €300 towards the purchase and installation of an electric vehicle home charger unit. Full details are on the SEAI website.
If purchasing an EV outright isn’t for you, there are a growing number of options from leasing companies keen to satisfy the demand for greener transport.
According to the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology, which assesses the country’s readiness in meeting its 2030 decarbonisation targets and compares it to other European countries, Ireland has ranked above average and ahead of the UK. However, we’re not going to argue that there’s still a lot of work still to be done supporting the use of EVs… Ireland was found to be lagging behind other European counterparts on the implementation of the EV charging infrastructure.
We currently have around 2,500 public charging points for EVs, most of which are within urban areas. If the proposed goals for decarbonising Ireland’s transport system are to be met it has been estimated the country will need 30,000 EV charging points by 2030, which may prove a tall order. Although, of course, we’d be delighted to be proved wrong.
The good news is that things are improving all the time, particularly smaller issues such as power and payment systems. There is also some great advice out there – the Irish EV Association website covers everything from the latest EV news to charging etiquette and EV driving best practice!
Undoubtedly, there’s still a lot of work to be done on the infrastructure supporting the use of EVs and as well as the number of charging points, EV owners have also suffered issues related to location, access and payment.
There are predictably many more charges in County Dublin than any other region and relatively high numbers in cities such as Galway, Cork and Limerick. Outside of the extremes, the spread is relatively equal across the rest of Ireland by region, but rural areas, of which of course there are many, still have very limited access to chargers.
Because of the lack of infrastructure, many drivers still fear being left without charge on long journeys, but there are several websites/apps dedicated to making your charging needs as easy to plan as possible, including OpenChargeMap and PlugShare. We like Zap Map, which gives easy-to-access, real-time information on charging point coverage and cost across Ireland.
Those who can afford to purchase a new EV, and may even be completely happy with the availability and ease of charging, still have concerns over the range current models can offer and the whole life of the battery.
The reason charging availability has remained such a significant issue is partly down to the physical distance one full charge can take you, otherwise known as an EV’s ‘range’ and the so-called ‘range anxiety’ EV drivers can feel. While there is still work to be done, these figures have improved massively over the relatively short time EVs have been available.
When we published the first version of this blog a few years ago, the average number of miles an EV could travel in a single journey was around 150, with the ‘top end’ Tesla S boasting over 640 km on a single charge, which of course is still an impressive figure today! The average range of an EV is now 380 km, which is three times the average distance driven in a week and also takes into consideration real life factors such as heavy loads, changing speeds, hilly terrain and bad weather, which manufacturers’ advertised range figures don’t.
If and when you choose an EV, while new battery tech is generally good, be sure to look into the real life range mileage figure and ensure it will suit the journeys you will be doing most frequently.
Every type of battery degrades over time. But rather than worrying your EV is going to mimic your mobile phone, you can be assured that, as long as they are treated correctly, most modern lithium-ion units are likely to last the lifetime of the car.
When EVs first entered the mass market many manufacturers specified an 8 year battery warranty, however, data so far has shown the majority of these batteries are outperforming that prediction. Manufacturers keen to offer extra reassurance to customers offered extended warranties on their EV batteries from between 160,000 to 240,000 kms. Most also include a maximum allowable capacity; so if their function drops below 70% during the period of the warranty, you’ll receive an automatic replacement. However, not all car models come with a clearly stated maximum degradation threshold from the manufacturer, so it’s worth checking this detail before making a purchase.
There are a few simple things you can do that will have a significant effect on battery life, such as avoiding charging beyond 80% or below 20%, which some EVs manage automatically. It is advised to avoid frequent rapid-charging and in general keeping your battery cool (a rare benefit of Ireland’s climate!)
More good news is that EV tech is improving all the time and there is some great advice out there whether you’re looking after an older EV or a brand new purchase. We’ve also written a blog on charging and driving your EV efficiently.
Apart from the practicalities we’ve covered, some people’s concerns about EV adoption take them right up to the car’s end-of-life and the issue of recycling. The reality is that while the industry still has a long way to go, EV batteries can and are being recycled effectively and CarTakeBack are already involved in this in several countries.
We continue to invest in training our vehicle recycling partners in how to safely handle EVs and hybrids, as well as sitting on several research boards to support and advise on future end-of-life EV developments, including work with the innovative Faraday Institute.
For now, lithium-ion batteries would have to be exported to mainland Europe or the UK for recycling, but there is fast progress within the industry and more facilities being established that can safely manage the main stage of processing these batteries. The progress we’ve seen, even in the last twelve months, is great news for the industry as a whole and for members of the public concerned about the whole-life impact of EVs.
