ESB eCars

lowkeys

I’m travelling upto Northern Ireland in a few weeks, from Dublin through Belfast and onto Portrush for a few nights then a night in Letterkenny.

Does anyone know if I need a different ESB e-card to operate the chargers or will the one I have work adequately. I’m also a little concerned regarding various comments about chargers not working in Northern Ireland, is this common or is anyone familiar with the areas I am travelling to that could give me some peace of mind. Alternatively is there a different charging network in Northern Ireland other than ESB that I could use.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117983558#Comment_117983558

Same eCars card will work.

NI network is a disgrace. What are you driving, ie what is your range and are you chademo or CCS?

I'm in Donegal and go to Belfast regularly so let me know a bit more info and I'll update you.

mfceiling

I've found the ones in the north to be ok. There is little to no ev's on the road so the charge points are usually always free. Not too many 50kw charging points but I know there is a newish one at the maxol garage in Portrush. I'd bring the granny cable with me and an extension lead and grab as much as you can at night wherever you are staying.

lowkeys

Thanks Dr Phil and MF, I’m in a Volkswagen id3 so ccs charging and my realistic range seems to be about 270-300km. I’m from the midlands so can top up in castlebellingham services anyway but the plan was to stop in Belfast for lunch, preferably city centre direction although that is flexible and then onto Portrush in a bnb for 2 nights, after that heading to letterkenny for a night via Derry city for a few hours and back into the midlands then.

Im happy in general with slower charging while in Portrush and letterkenny as will be out for walks and dinner so can easily do a number of slower charges.

I have a husband who loves driving my car but is still on the sceptical element of the spectrum regarding charging and I would hate for him to be proved right🤣

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984397#Comment_117984397

Not sure if it's the same Northern Ireland that we're driving in...

I pass at least 2 or 3 EVs every day on my commute into Derry. The rapid charger there often has a 3 car queue.

Charging is free and therefore the few rapids that are actually functioning are usually in use.

PS Portrush is chademo only so no use to @lowkeys who has a CCS car.

carbuncle

check for queues and charge if you can at one Apple greens on the m1 on the way up, maybe even both.

there is an esb type 50kW charger further up the a1 just past banbridge at a service station which has been available each time I have used it. It’s easy to drive by.

next is spruce field shopping centre where the a1 meets the motorway into Belfast. Often busy, 44kW unit next to McDonald’s.

Both of the above work with ecars card, not sure about app, and are free

there is also an esb 50kw off the m2 when going to the ferry port but that has been broken for at least 6 months

I can’t think of another fast charger in or around Belfast!

it’s still free up there so many ac units could be hogged as well as the dc

I have gone for the ferry a number of times in low range electrics and it’s always a bit hairy . I have taken to trying to charge at one of the Apple greens, if I get a charge at the first then go for the one past banbridge as well otherwise go for sprucefield if you get the second Apple green.

its get it while you can when going to Belfast in a low range bev .

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984492#Comment_117984492

Bringing him to NI in an EV seems like a sure-fire way to fill him with smug.

DrPhilG

@lowkeys there are a few Northern Ireland EV owners groups on Facebook if you're on there. Always best to ask around if there's a particular charger you're planning to use and you'll get more accurate info on whether they're working.

Belfast city centre I can't advise too much on, but the CCS at the Applegreen on the way out to head for Derry or Donegal is broken long term. You'll likely not be able to use the charger in the Glenshane either as it currently only works with cards that have been used on it before and as you're a new visitor your card probably won't be recognised.

Portrush has a rapid, but no CCS so its no good to you other than using the AC. There are 2 slow posts in town, one by the coast is dead and the one in Dunluce carpark is very busy. Apparently a local hotel there has installed half a dozen slow chargers but they're privately owned and charging 30p/kWh.

Derry only has 1 rapid and its extremely busy. Couple of eTrons who jam it up for hours, a lovely Mustang who doesn't abuse it but does tend to plug in low and charge for quite a while. Lots of others EVs in the city who all love a full charge. If you're going to be there for a few hours there are chargers in Carlisle Road, Victoria Market car park and Strand Road car park. All paid parks so be sure to pay and display. Bishop Street is dead as is the Diamond. Train station is good and there are 2 chargers so 4 spots, but it's on the Waterside so probably out of your way.

Letterkenny now has 2 rapid chargers which is great. 22kw by the theatre too and one at the hospital.

Last but not least I thoroughly recommend visiting Grianan Fort on the way. Its about half way between Derry and Letterkenny and stunning views even on a bad day.

Any more info needed, let me know.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984492#Comment_117984492

There's Ionity in City North which is faster and probably more reliable, but might be too close to home to be worth a charge

The handy thing with Castlebellingham is that if the northbound charger is in use, you can spin up to the next exit and turnaround to use the Southbound one

It's a bit of a detour but might be quicker than waiting in a charging queue

As other said, it'd be a good idea to bring a granny lead and extension cable in case you have bad luck with the AC chargers up north

mfceiling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984561#Comment_117984561

Totally blown away that they put a Chademo socket there!! That's actually laughable!!

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984610#Comment_117984610

Yeah they were some of the original DC chargers, probably when there were only Leafs in the country

mfceiling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984616#Comment_117984616

I remember reading recently about the big investment they put into that station. Was thinking fair play that they catered for EV's...they shouldn't have bothered!!

cannco253

https://www.fingal.ie/news/first-installation-ubitricity-ev-lamp-post-charge-points-dublin-0

My sister works in the council, sent me this (I see its on the IEVOA facebook page as well)

lowkeys

Thanks to all of you, bit of planning definitely involved in making sure it is a smooth journey. Great to get the info, really appreciate it.

innrain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984631#Comment_117984631

I used the one in Malahide in the front of Garda station last Sunday. There is a QR code you have to fafle with some credit card although the charging is free. I used a Revolut card which Revolut considered the transaction suspicious and froze the card. Had to unfroze and redo. Took me 5 mins to start. 3 hours limit as well. We were for lunch in a restaurant nearby so was great from the parking perspective. It is a 4kW although sometimes was getting 5 kW.

Not sure DLR is using the same company as the one in the Dundrum carpark is from another crowd https://char.gy/ie We'll see

lowkeys

’Last but not least I thoroughly recommend visiting Grianan Fort on the way. Its about half way between Derry and Letterkenny and stunning views even on a bad day.’

I had heard about Grianan fort from the people we are visiting in Letterkenny, definitely on the agenda, sounds great.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984729#Comment_117984729

It's a must. If you're lucky enough to get there on a nice day even better.

zg3409

In terms of NI I recommend plugshare app. Filter by CCS or ChaDeMo and check the recent reports on each charger you intend to use. The one in eniskillen has been broken more than a year. There is some non esb chargers in the likes of lidl you may need as the network is so bad. At least the bad ones are generally reported on plugshare. Some of the 50kW and AC chargers are in car parks closed at night!

zg3409

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117983183#Comment_117983183

No idea on spec, typically they need to upgrade cabling to each light as most street lights have a tiny supply. They could be anything up to 22kW.

https://www.plugshare.com/location/329744

https://www.plugshare.com/location/167343

https://www.plugshare.com/location/174252

https://www.plugshare.com/location/199870

https://www.plugshare.com/location/161845

https://www.plugshare.com/location/166987

none of them are ESB. Please add the new Sandyford chargers to plugshare as coming soon and others can fill in details.

wassie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117982603#Comment_117982603

That graph is interesting - probably reflect some earlier comments on the noticeable increase in EVs especially VWs & Hyundai's. I tend to plan to avoid peak hours travels and generally on major routes only so that would probably slew my experience compared to the overall picture.

wassie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117980842#Comment_117980842

The problem with the 45 minute limit is that if you knew there was another charger 90 minutes further up the road, and you were sure you’d get on it and not need to queue, you’d happily take the 45 minutes and toddle on up the road (ala Tesla when multiple SuC’s are along the route). the reality is you are plugged into an eCars unit and there’s no guarantee and little confidence that the next charger will indeed be available, so you feel you have to take what you’ll need there and then….

Yeah you make a good point re:taking eCars at earliest opportunity rather than chance it.

driving down to Cork, are you stopping into Ballacolla and getting enough charge over 55 minutes to get you all the way to Kinsale? Or just enough (35 minutes) to get you to Cashel for the next charge?

As for the Cork-Dublin run (and vice-versa)......you know yourself - screw eCars....Tesla SuC all the way baby!

in the Tesla, I’ll happily plan to arrive at a SuC at less than 10%…. But would you take that chance solely relying on eCars?

Yep I regularly would arrive in the low digits - but only based on my experience with the particular location and time of day. Occasionaly I get caught out - I once got pipped to the post with under 2km go by a Model 3 Performance who was going like the clappers.....fair play to him! Had it been a Kona I might have felt somewhat differently!

garo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984761#Comment_117984761

I cycled to the top a few years ago and by god it was hard! But the views were worth it.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117990457#Comment_117990457

It's about a mile from my house. We parked at the bottom a few months back and walked up. Near killed us.

garo

That close? I have some friends on Inch Island I was visiting. It's a lovely part of the country.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117991525#Comment_117991525

We're spoilt, it's just our normal scenery, get used to it and don't think of it. Was up there when I was a kid.

As for charge points, there's a load of zappis and Tesla destination charge points in level 5 of the castlecourt shopping centre if your thinking about stopping in Belfast to go shopping/grab food etc.

A few of my favorites would be Bunsen, city picnic, or the Harlem cafe.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117991525#Comment_117991525

Yeah probably less if I was to hike up the fields.

The Fort is just over the top of that hill.

Tony H

went up to Belfast in a Kona last week and charged at Shane retail park , Boucher Road ,

https://www.zap-map.com/pts/5s2htgl/ CSS and CHAdeMO @50kW

Only available when retail park is open unfortunately

DrPhilG

And only delivering about half the power most of the time.

cannco253

https://www.current-news.co.uk/news/esb-energy-kicks-off-400-ev-charger-rollout-in-birmingham

ESB Energy has opened a multi-charging hub in Birmingham, the first of a wider rollout that will see 394 chargers installed.

The flagship site includes four 50kW multi connector chargers and two 22kW chargers, with the remainder of the near four hundred fast and rapid chargers to be installed over the next 24 months.

https://esbenergy.co.uk/ev/birmingham

AndyBoBandy

Meanwhile in Ireland we have 1 ‘hub capable of charging 8* cars at once.

*8 cars if one of them is using the 22kW AC

*and I’ll believe 8 cars when I see it.