Cork city's northside has just two electric vehicle chargers

There are currently 32 charging stations including six fast chargers in Cork city and county, according to the ESB. File photo: Larry Cummins

The ESB has vowed to invest more in high power electric vehicle (EV) charging in Cork over the coming months, with just one charging point for the northside city suburbs compared to seven south of the river.

There are currently 32 charging stations including six fast chargers in Cork city and county, according to the ESB.

With an influx of EVs expected over the next decade, would-be owners on Cork's northside could be forgiven for feeling aggrieved at the lack of nearby charging points.

Currently, when the immediate city centre is excluded, just Deasy's Circle K/Topaz forecourt on the Commons Road has a fast charger that it managed by the ESB, while the Silversprings Hotel in Tivoli also has one that is not managed by the electricity firm.

Blarney, now considered part of the city since the boundary extension, also has a standard ESB charging point at Castle Close Road, some 8km from the city centre.

By contrast, the southside has two fast ESB charging points in Rochestown and Frankfield, as well as standard charging points in Carrigrohane, Monkstown, Black Ash park and ride on the South Link Road, the Kinsale Road, and Carrigaline. 

Transport minister Eamon Ryan has said he expects a "massive expansion" in people buying EVs in the coming years because "they are better cars".

The ESB said the existing chargers were installed in the initial charge point roll-out from 2010 as part of the national plan, of which there are now more than 1,100.

The locations of these chargers were determined by a range of factors including available space and proximity to the electricity network, the ESB added.

There is currently government grant funding available for local authorities to provide charging infrastructure in their areas, the ESB stressed.

The utility firm said is currently investing €20m in a "comprehensive programme to expand and enhance the charging network" with support from the Government’s climate action fund. 

This investment will see the build out of charging hubs cross the country which can charge up to eight vehicles at the same time, it said.

"The first four of these high power charging hubs have been installed in Kilcullen (M9), Portlaoise Plaza (M7/M8), Galway Plaza (M6) and Kells (M3). Further sites, and ones that will service the Cork area, will be added in the coming months," it said.

The network is being constantly improved and anecdotal evidence from frustrated motorists of chargers not working has been tackled, according to the ESB.

A spokesperson said: "As well as building new hubs, ESB ecars has been working to improve and increase the uptime of the network as a whole. Since October 2019 we have replaced 159 standard chargers across Ireland, including 18 in Cork county with new, more reliable chargers."

Following this investment, availability levels of the standard network is now operating at 96% while the fast charging network is operating at 99%, she said.

So-called 'uptime’ is the measure of working chargers on the network. 

"We are working to continue this improvement and ensure the best possible experience for all electric vehicle drivers," the spokesperson added.

The ESB said it is also upgrading 50 standard chargers to a new type of fast chargers on the network.