New research shows that 52 per cent of electric vehicle owners said they are paying less than €5 to charge their car.
Research undertaken by Energia and the Irish Electric Vehicle Owners Association found while large numbers of EV purchasers are driven by environmental concerns (40 per cent), almost as many are enticed by the financial savings offered by electric charging (39 per cent).
More than half of respondents in the survey, which took place in June 2022, are paying less than €5 to charge their car, a clear illustration of the cost benefits of EVs versus traditional petrol and diesel vehicles.
The number of people charging their electric vehicle daily has dropped by 7 per cent, with charging one - three times a week the most common response.
The survey also found that electric vehicle owners feel the Government is not doing enough to promote electric vehicles, with 87 per cent of respondents stating so.
Almost a third (28 per cent) lack confidence that the government’s target of 1 million EVs by 2030 would be reached.
However, respondents were positive about the available SEAI grant, with nearly a fifth stating that they wouldn’t have purchased a home charge point without it.
Free chargers
A total of 91 per cent of respondents charge their electric vehicles at home.
Free chargers, such as those provided by a third of survey participants’ employers, along with range anxiety, were the main reasons stated by the 9 per cent who do not charge at home.
Ciara Moane, electric vehicle product owner with Energia said:
“We know that the environment is the most important factor for those deciding to buy an electric vehicle, and as Ireland’s greenest electricity supplier, we take pride in providing 100 pe cent renewable energy to our customers with charge points located at their home.
"Over the past year, the number of home charge points we have installed has increased tenfold.
"With one in five cars licensed so far this year being electric or plug-in hybrid, we are confident that we will see these numbers continue to grow significantly, along with the numbers of customers on EV specific tariffs.
"Energia’s EV offers include reduced night rates and tariffs bundled with discounted home charge points.
"We are delighted to be energy partners with some of Ireland’s largest electric car manufacturers including Hyundai, Kia, Opel, Honda, FIAT and Citroën."
