Everything you always wanted to know about electric vehicle (but were afraid to ask)

Reduced tolls ends this year anyway doesn’t it? So little point changing now….

Is there anywhere you can park a phev for a few hours cheaply or free to get some charge around the country.

Had in my head there was free council ones just can't see a list of them anywhere.

Doh! seriously though is there free council ones or was I dreaming, like it makes no sense to use a normal charge point when out and about with a slow charging phev.

That's what I was thinking of, pay for parking get some charge included.

Are these points listed anywhere for the entire country, I didn't see them on a charging app.

There is no distinction though between BEV and PHEV for that.

What do you mean by "normal charge point" and it making no sense.

The public AC charge points are all much the same. The eCars ones are usually 22kW and you get some in multi-story car parks which might be limited to 7kW but the rate you get will all depend on your car, but like I said, no distinction between BEV and PHEV.

And there isnt a single list to look at. Its down to each council as to whether they give free parking or not. Some do, some dont.

"Is there anything else in addition to the charging point I should arrange ahead of getting the car itself? Anything it would be clever to sign up for, cards I should get, etc...?"

Get a night rate electricity meter. It's free and you will save a fortune with an EV. Sign up for at least the ESB eCars and EasyGo cards. If you already have or are planning to get solar PV on your house, get a smart charge point like a Zappi. Get a tethered charge point and make sure your cable will be long enough

"Would charging the car via a three-pin socket through the window at my parent's house be OK to recharge the battery ahead of driving from Galway to Dublin city?"

Yes perfectly fine

By Normal I meant where you'd charge an EV for 20 minutes or so, the phev charges a lot slower so would want to park it up for maybe 2hrs, which I think you get fined for at an esb point.

Wexford is free while charging.

Better to pay if in doubt, or this could happen.

So you need to distinguish AC and DC here or else it’s not clear what you are actually asking.

Most PHEVs can’t charge at any DC charger (they don’t have DC port) and that’s where EVs would charge for 20mins.

Its the AC charge points you are thinking of I’d say as you would need a few hours on them and the 45min overstay fee doesn’t apply to AC charge points.

On the apps you need to filter for AC charge points and then find out what the council do in terms of parking fees while charging.

Travelling from Louth to Cork in a few weeks in an id3 and trying to plan and understand the public charging setup definitively (currently charge at home,have used the lidl easygo AC chargers as a try out and will try out the DC chargers before I go).

ID3 AC charges at 11kw max, so plan to use one of the DC chargers at either Cashel or Fermoy, depending on how the range depletes en route!

In Cashel,if someone is using the Chademo 50kw then the CCS is out of action until they're done, correct? Could I still use the AC charger and get my 11kw? or else go to ionity chargers nearby.

In Fermoy, of those new chargers one is 'double sided', so two cars could both charge at up to 150kw without reduction/ load balancing or is the 150kw split if there are 2 cars charging? Then there is another unit with CCS,Chademo and AC, so the same thing as Cashel whereby one car can get the 50kw DC and another car can get the up to 22kw AC? The ID3 is Max 100kw.

Thanks in advance, just trying to understand the potential waiting and general way of it all. Also, if any particular etiquette worth keeping in mind I'm happy to take the education (I'm aware of the charge to 80% 'rule'!).