The Green Party has criticised proposed changes by ESB that would see the cost of running an electric vehicle (EV) become more expensive per kilometre than petrol or diesel powered cars. Changes announced by ESB Cars would see EV owners hit with an annual fixed charge of €203, and a per-minute charge for using quick-charge power stations.

 

Reacting to the changes, Green Party Spokesperson for Energy Ossian Smyth said that the move would discourage consumers to switch to electric – just when the country faces serious challenges with emissions targets.

 

“The new charging structure announced by the ESB is bizarre and counter-productive. A fixed standing charge that takes no account of how much or how little you charge your vehicle will turn people off making the switch to electric.

 

“The costs announced for using the fast charging stations are also strange. At 30c per minute to use, a full charge will be around €9. For a low mileage driver, these charges would work out far more expensively per kilometre than petrol or diesel.

 

“Obviously upgrades and servicing of the power station networks need to be paid for, but it has to be done in a way that encourages the uptake of EVs. Much more needs to be done. Public charging bays should be free and reserved for electric vehicles only which is not the case at the moment. Other countries have implemented favourable tax brackets for EVs, and even let them use the bus lanes. These are measures we should be looking at."