The key elements include six high speed charging hubs on motorways capable of charging eight vehicles simultaneously; 16 high speed charging hubs capable of charging four vehicles simultaneously; additional high power chargers at 34 current 50 kW locations; upgrading over 50 22 kW chargers to 50 kW, and replacing up to 264 locations with 528 charge points at the pre-existing pilot grade of 22 kW to next generation high reliability models.
Yes, one EV driver was ringing tow truck/clampers for another abandoned EV. This was quite regular until they stopped allowing this. The claim was they stopped due to complaints from those clamped/towed, but it may be that this service runs at a loss with costs being supported by car park company. They may have been fed up paying any overheads for this service. This is totally separate from.esb ecars, but I suspect they were involved in complaints and decisions to stop it.
In my opinion this is totally the wrong way to go. There should be national laws to allow tow away at all chargers with a central system. All they need is a tow truck and a big cable cutter! There should be a sign at every charger with parking and charging rules and anyone should be allowed call tow truck with access to ecars history on how long there etc. Raising barriers or raising bollards should be used at sites with regular problems such as ionity cashel. It would be easy to link to app, Tesla does this in some countries. This is essential until number of chargers exceeds demand at peak times. It's good business sense for ecars at prime sites where they are digging it up anyway.
There wasn't really an ICE'ing problem at Blanch, it was mostly EV drivers either using the charging spots as parking spaces or overstaying after finishing a charge. There was one pretty regular who would remote end the charge at 44 mins but take another 10/15 mins to get back to the car.
Didn't the Blanchardstown centre stop enforcing parking at that charger because of complaints from ICE abusers?
They need to be bombarded by calls and emails until they reverse that.
Blanchardstown 150kw up and running, however two issues:
both times i've used it there are some EV numpties using the EV spaces just to park their cars and go shopping
last night - the 150kw was offline because someone pushed the big red button. I pulled it back out and everything was fine again.
The ecars motto.
To be fair to the ICE drivers, there's no signs, no ground markings or nothing to state that it's EV use only.
Just like somebody drove past and fired 2 chargers out the side door of a van and thought "fcuk it that's grand".
Also I see one of the chargers has a 22kW ac port, its possible that the other has the same? So good chance 2 cars can charge there for half the day, if they can find a parking space. LMFAO.
You wonder who comes up with the locations for the chargers.
I'm currently in town and thought I'd spin down and check out the new 50kw chargers on Sir John Rogerson's Quay.
All spaces are currently taken. A diesel Q3, a diesel Tucson and a diesel Tiguan. That's 4 fast charging spots gone.
The brain in my head would tell me that 500 metres further down the quay is very quiet and not really used by traffic. Surely 4 spaces on their own down there, and painted bright green to make ICE drivers aware that it's for EV parking only would make sense?
Dungarvan fast charger is back online
Sure tip on into Bolton St if it's not too late. Have fun with the angled parking bays designed for drive in - reverse out :-)
@ Black_Knight : Thanks! Good intel. I just checked the eCars app and the triple charger in St Augustines car park is not working! Not a good omen. Outside of Dungarvan, it's Youghal or Waterford.
I'd rather not use the slow chargers if possible. I used to visit Dungarvan regularly pre-pandemic in an ICE and, amongst other things, I liked to drive along the small coast roads and find unofficial beaches etc. I wouldn't fancy plugging into a slow charger for 6 hours or whatever on a 3-day holiday.
Thanks. I'll look at your stats website. (Edit) Kudos to your stats website - it's recording the St Augustines site down since noon today!
Dungarvan is pretty reliable. Gets a bit of traffic through the units, but I've never not been able to charge here (I'm there right now). Passed by a M3 plugging in today on the quays. St Augustines car park is hard to access the parking spaces. They're tight, and not much room to manoeuver into them if you need it.
From my stats, you're very likely to come across a free fast or slow charger in dungarvan. Oddly mid week seems busiest for the slow unit. Saturday morning seems to have a regular slow charging on the fast charger. This would limit your top speed of you DC charged at the same time.
https://ecars-stats.com/ (just search for dungarvan)
LOL, I was hoping you wouldn't write that. After the M7/M9 split heading towards Waterford & Dungarvan, there's almost no rapid chargers outside of Carlow and Kilkenny.
YeH I’ve stopped in Gorey before but it’ll be straight up the M9 for us……. Might even consider Knocktopher as an alternate.
Gorey is acts nice site…. Would love is Tesla put 2/4 SuC’s there, though Kilcullen/M9 would be my priority for more SuC’s
Last week for the first time in 15 months using Ionity I had problems at Kill North (West). All were not starting, so be sure to get a free fill up if you have to call them.
Alternatively if returning from Waterford a more scenic slightly longer route is via Gorey (Ionity and ECars), handy if going to south side of Dublin.
It’s this glorious site…
Applegreen Waterford - ESB
Old Cork Road, Waterford City, Co. Waterford, Ireland
https://www.plugshare.com/location/69277
Where is 'there'? I've a vague memory of reading about a petrol station in or near Waterford that had an 'interesting' attitude towards EV's but I can't remember the details.
I'm planning my first long drive outside Dublin soon. To Dungarvan as it happens and I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing. Dungarvan only has 1 rapid 50kWh charger (& 1 or 2 22kWh's) for the entire town so I can't rely 100% on it.
TIA.
I’ll be passing Bolton St on the way down to my sister in passage East, and again when leaving to go home.
would prefer not to have to rely on Kilcullen at all if I can…. And if really stuck on the way home I might go for Ionity Kill for a first use of Ionity!!!!
Twas the reason I went there. Didn't get much entrainment though.
Needed to eat (I had a packed lunch, lol) and was down to about 100km with a 45km drive ahead without destination charging (3pin if I wanted), so I said what harm. I did buy a tea for me and a kinder surprise for the little one though.
Was coming from the hospital, so Bolton Street was an option, though less convenient for me leaving the city (going west).
Should be your plan A site, if even just for entertainment value..
That's his probably. He likes VW though for some reason, but normally drops over for a chat..
There was a silver Hyundai Santa Fe or Tucson beside it when I arrived.
Everyone inside seemed in good spirits, though there seemed to be about 5 people working there in a tiny shop
Actually heading down to Waterford in a few days, and will need a charge down there so that place is one of my Plan B sites!!!!!!!
Did you not get the welcoming committee? ☺️
(The owners' vehicle doesn't appear to be at his usual parking spot beside the charging spots)
I survived!
Poor services though. Shop had little for an on the road snack other than bars. Toilet would benefit from a seat, and a working drier. FFS.
No drama though. Great space there for a bunch of chargers if ever it was needed, but I can't see that happening given the history. Services would have to improve too.
They have since responded, apologised and said they'll address it.
So any repeats, let me know and I'll chase them up again.
Don't celebrate yet.
Charging on the FCP CCS, pulling 26 kW, normally my car can do 49 kW at this SOC.
Thats because I guess there's an ID4 charging next to me on the HPC at 125 kW.
Site can't handle 150 kW + 50 kW = 200 kW max. It can probably handle 150 kW at best.
Not enough power supply on site???
If this is the standard of the "hubs" - 2 cars at the same at most due to stupid connector ratios and wrong parking layout and the power capped at 150 kW anyway, then I've nothing to add anymore...
They're taking the piss. Getting as bad as go-cars used to be.
I've met them plugging into the 50kW in Derry with the intention of going to 100%.
If they're on twitter, get after them and ask them to be more considerate of others. If they need to charge then they need to charge. But squatting on an AC for 17 hours or blocking a DC space without plugging in is a joke.
It will be a taxi drivers paradise. Good luck trying to get to use it.
How do the ESB come up with these sites? Do they have a map of Dublin on a wall and every month they feck a dart at it. Wherever it lands gets a charger.
