EV Charging with no driveway

NZ has it already, also applies to diesel as there's no duty on it there, and they're planning to move petrol vehicle over to the same system to replace duty.

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/road-user-charges/about-ruc

bad news for pedants who like to point out "it's motor tax, not road tax!"

Doing a bit more research into the whole topic, it seems the department is currently preparing a strategy on charging infrastructure for 2026-2028, and there's a public consultation currently open here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=XopdSBarK0SWzQ37Kc61_V_uTa2E2sdLvBudE-6POsRUMERXN0daMDBENUpIVUZOUEtXWVY2NDVCQy4u

I'd encourage everyone who'd like to see legal on-street home charging options to participate in the survey and have your say.

Looking at the draft strategy document itself which is here https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-transport/consultations/draft-national-ev-charging-infrastructure-strategy-2026-2028/ , there are a few interesting bits. It expands more on the aim of the private wires bill and is actually quite clear that the intention is that it will allow a 'private wire' from your home charger across a path to your EV. That legislation itself posted earlier is a bit more vague and sounded more like provision for commercial chargers. So thats definitely a positive.

"ZEVI is also working with the Department for Climate, Energy and the Environment to introduce a flexibility under “private wires” legislation that will allow for a cross-pavement solution to be used to access a home charger."

It also states:

"Where residents do not have access to off-street parking but have adjacent on-street parking, cross-pavement charging may become a viable option. Cross-pavement charging consists of a channel-type device which is installed in a footpath or pavement and allows a private charging cable to be safely laid from a user’s home across a footpath to the vehicle. At present, cross-pavement charging is not permitted in Ireland due to private wires legislation. However, legislation to amend the private wires legislation and allow this to happen is currently being drafted by Government."

It also talks about cross-path solutions in NI and England currently being trialled and it expands again on the private wires issue:

"Following an extensive consultation exercise with industry in 2023, the government has decided that in future, private wires will be permitted in locations where they are, inter alia, a solution to allow on-street charging of EVs. This will be a significant and positive step for EV consumers and is intended to provide a framework whereby technical solutions can be implemented which will allow EV drivers, currently without access to home charging, to do so and to avail of cheaper domestic electricity tariffs – particularly when charging overnight.

To implement this high-level statement of policy, primary legislation to amend the Electricity Regulation Act allowing for private wires will be brought to the Oireachtas by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE). This legislation will be updated to provide clarity required for the provision of charging infrastructure for EVs. Supporting regulations to define standards and processes for granting permission for private wires will also need to be defined and adopted."

The sentence at the end there is also vital when dealing with Dublin City Council.

Positive stuff but talk is cheap. They need to get the finger out and deliver this stuff.

It's not hard to be faster than a car in the city. I personally do my very best to avoid the city because it's such a horrible place to get in and out of. I used my little e-scooter to get from one campus to the next. Thankfully I was done with the city before Gards started seizing them.

I'm sure there's a boat load of illegal e-scooters being used. Again, without people pushing back and using e-scooters to commute, then we would still be waiting for legislation. This conversation has become a bit too focused on e-scooters. I've said why I made the comparison, so let's leave it there.

@awec I do wonder if these channels are just going to fuel the notion that people own the space outside their house or have more right to use it than someone else.

That is a possibility yes but I guess it will be up to the residents to police that amongst themselves and call out someone trying to hog the space in front of their house. I wonder if it is happening where people have already installed charge arms; I know of 3 near me and would be curious to know if the rest of the street would say the owners are getting overbearing.

Ultimately the channel is not the ideal solution of course. But for some people charging once or twice a week will be enough and they will get a spot in the vicinity of their channel twice a week and make it work. Then for the odd time you really need an immediate charge but Mary is parked in front of your channel - nip to the nearest fast charger and off you go. You could also buy an extra long charging cable and be able to park a couple of spots away from your channel and lay the cable parallel to the kerb (but obviously not up on top of the path). Not ideal and yes arguably a trip hazard but I'd say once there's legislation in place to allow such on street charging, it will be a lot easier to argue your case to a sensible judge if some crank decided to try and make a quick buck.