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A fixed price has not been agreed due to the fluctuating costs of energy. Alamy Stock Photo

Fixed customer price will not be set for 200 new Dublin EV chargers to be installed next year

An electric vehicle advocacy group has called for prices to be set as many will be reliant on the infrastructure.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN Dublin and an Irish electric vehicle company have not set a fixed price for customers for the 200 new charging sites they intend to roll out around the capital at the beginning of next year.

Details of the project, the first of its kind in Ireland, have not been fully hammered out between local councils and the electric vehicle (EV) company ePower. This was despite a public contract being awarded and a photoshoot to promote the project taking place.

One electric vehicle advocacy group has said the prices for the use of these chargers should be set and advertised before the first units go live in the first quarter of next year.

ePower, which already runs an extensive network of charging points around the country, will work with local councils in Dublin to build a tranche of new chargers at 50 locations around the capital.

But the firm has since told The Journal that it cannot set a fixed price as “energy costs” may vary from now until the completion of the project and that market activity, such as the performance of it and its competitors, will dictate prices that customers will pay.

This is despite a spokesperson on behalf of all four local authorities in Dublin telling The Journal that ePower was awarded the contract under the Most Economically Advantageous Tender criteria, taking into account both price and quality.

Matthew Sealy, the chairperson of the Irish Electric Vehicle Association (IEVA), said that the price of any public EV chargers should be “as low as possible”, as many people — particularly in Dublin — cannot install home chargers.

He said that people who purchase EVs are either environmentally conscious or are attracted to the vehicles for the cheaper costs associated with powering the cars. 

Regardless of the type of customer, pricing is “important” and most owners want to be charged at an acceptable rate, Sealy added. He called for ePower and the local authorities to come to an agreement to set fixed pricing.

ePower said that given the impact that energy prices and competition could have on what it charges, and the fact that the project is at an “early stage”, it could not detail how much it will charge at first for the use of the infrastructure.

SON5608-017 The project, a joint venture with local authorities in Dublin and ePower, was announced this month. Shane O'Neill Shane O'Neill

It said, however, that it wants to encourage the uptake of driving EVs and will “strive” to deliver “attractive pricing”, which will be published on its app once the sites go live.

A spokesperson for Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and South Dublin County Council has said that EV owners will be incentivised to charge during “off-peak hours” in the future for better prices.

Sealy reasoned that prices for this joint project must be set at a fixed rate as some EV owners in Dublin cannot install chargers at home and are therefore are reliant on publicly available chargers.

He said if ePower were seeking to compete it is the view of the IEVA that their prices would be “ideally” set at the same price, or cheaper, than the chargers offered by the firm’s main competitor, the ESB, which are installed by the State.

Pricing

The chair of the IEVA said that ePower is a well-known firm and charges acceptable rates but detailed that, often, the rates vary depending on agreements between the landowner, the use of the charging point and the demand in the area.

A spokesperson for ePower confirmed this, stating that it cannot control the price of chargers at different locations, as it is within the remit of its clients to do so.

According to Sealy, he has experienced that prices are different in locations such as Dublin city centre when compared to other locations, such as Cork. 

Using figures from the EV Database — an independent EV data collection website — the average battery size of vehicles currently on the market is 71.9 kwhs and the average range is 379km.

This means ePower’s price to fully charge an EV’s battery in Dublin could be up to €46.75 and could be up to €30.92 in Cork.

Meanwhile, the ESB offers 1,600 charging points around the country at a fixed rate. Membership plans for the State-owned electricity company’s charging network are also available, making prices cheaper.

Using the same averages, the price for using an ESB fast charger could be up to €37.38. The State-owned chargers’ prices are the same nationwide.

These figures vary depending on the size of the car’s battery, the type of charger and whether or not an owner is signed up to the ESB’s membership plan.

Asked what is the differential between both companies’ prices, a spokesperson for the council reasoned that pricing would reflect current market rates and that customers had the option to review all prices before choosing to charge.

Aim to deliver attractive prices

Brendan Crowley, Director of Public Charging at ePower, told The Journal that “the aim of the roll out is to facilitate the public in their (local authorities’) EV charging”.

He added: “That charging will be attractively priced, as the scheme was designed with the best interests of the EV driving public in mind”.

He said that the charging points will be available every day and the company will also be available to maintain the infrastructure to “support an accessible, reliable charging option for EV drivers” all year round.

Asked what ePower’s share of the market in Dublin will be following this project, as estimates suggest the firm will control over 50% of EV chargers, a spokesperson said: “ePower will certainly be one of the largest providers of charging across Dublin.”

A spokesperson for the local authorities said councils in Dublin do not collect or keep data on the number of chargers in the county.

While it’s expected there will be a pick up in interest in EVs in coming years due to plans to begin phasing out combustion engines, the most recent figures show registrations have fallen dramatically in recent months.

The Government plans to install charging points at every 60km of motorway in the country and include reliefs such as tax exemptions for home and apartment chargers, though plans have been slow to get off the ground.

This month Transport Minister Eamon Ryan announced the second National Road Grant Scheme to support the development of high-powered EV recharging on Ireland’s roads.

The IEVA keeps track of the status of this infrastructure on its website.

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    Mute cosmological
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:33 AM

    His self pitying performance, admittedly under severe pressure, has done him no favours.

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    Mute Paddy O'Sullivan
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    Apr 15th 2014, 6:12 PM

    Agreed, but on the other side, i don’t believe Gerrie Nel’s badgering of the witness done the state any favours

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    Mute Alan Chapman
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    Apr 15th 2014, 11:47 AM

    did anybody ever wonder why intruders would break into your house through a bathroom window then lock themselves in !

    176
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    Mute Stanley Groves
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    Apr 15th 2014, 12:17 PM

    By no means am I defending him, but Crime in South Africa is so common place that most South Africans live in constant fear. Reeva & Oscar are also famous, so I’m sure they were also always on the look out for people wanting stork them, maybe steal from them. If thief broke in through a bathroom window, who knows what they will do!

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Apr 15th 2014, 12:26 PM

    Does this give him the excuse to kill somebody……

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    Mute Stanley Groves
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    Apr 15th 2014, 1:05 PM

    Not at all, but if you go research the crime statistics in South Africa, you will find that families are being murdered for a couple of possessions.

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    Mute Carlin Ite
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    Apr 15th 2014, 1:45 PM

    @stanley. Would the people who have private security in their neighbourhood live in constant fear or just the middle classes

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    Mute Stanley Groves
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    Apr 15th 2014, 1:55 PM

    Yes!! Everybody does…… Maybe not Jacob Zuma

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    Mute Saul goodman
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:43 AM

    Yes m’lady

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    Mute Gizmo mac
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:44 AM

    Class :)

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    Mute Gizmo mac
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:45 AM

    Thits incorrict m’lady

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    Mute Saul goodman
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    Apr 15th 2014, 11:08 AM

    Gizmo you’re getting awful abuse in the Justin bieber story. If u need back up you know where I am buddy. We could take them!!

    41
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    Mute Gizmo mac
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    Apr 15th 2014, 11:13 AM

    I’ll have a look Saul!

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    Mute James Patrick Smith
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    Apr 15th 2014, 1:29 PM

    He’s being shown up for what he truly is a control freak with a temper (roid rage? Found lots of steroids in his place )had access to a gun and a history of incidents with guns and the most ridiculous story which doesn’t add up or make any sense.He murdered his girlfriend and is nothing more than a deranged little coward who is turning this trial into a farce with his theatrics and crocodile tears.
    Does anyone actually believe his bullshit story? If so why?

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    Mute Diarmuid Lenihan
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:53 AM

    Thank god, listening to him was painful.

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    Mute Stanley Groves
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    Apr 15th 2014, 12:20 PM

    Change the channel then, or go do something constructive

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    Mute Diarmuid Lenihan
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    Apr 15th 2014, 1:17 PM

    It’s on the radio in work you moron.

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    Mute Stanley Groves
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    Apr 15th 2014, 1:57 PM

    Try a different station……. One with lovely soft music to calm yourself down…… It sounds like you need it

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    Mute Paddy
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    Apr 15th 2014, 11:03 AM

    How come we’re allowed to comment on the trial all of a sudden?

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    Mute Gavin Scott
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    Apr 15th 2014, 12:45 PM

    It’s trial by media. We have a role to play. I say murder in the first, my lady

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Apr 15th 2014, 11:59 AM

    It was the gun’s fault it pulled on his finger……

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    Mute Padraig O'Connor
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    Apr 15th 2014, 2:46 PM

    Im not saying he didn’t do it but innocent/guilty proven etc..

    Google PTSD there.. its not exclusive to people who are coming back from warzones..

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    Mute John Flood
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:59 AM

    “The relentless Gerrie Nel – also known as the Pitbull”

    Every other reference I’ve heard/read has been he’s known as the “Bulldog”………..

    Whatever…

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    Mute Tinker Taylor
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    Apr 15th 2014, 12:14 PM

    just lock him up already…he’s as guilty as sin…

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Apr 15th 2014, 12:22 PM

    This is a man who in spite of his disability likes to be in control and cannot allow love to get in the way as it shows up a weakness in his shield. It is a pity that his girlfriend could not recognise this.

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    Mute Keith Millar
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    Apr 16th 2014, 10:01 AM

    In spite of his disability likes to be in control?? What are you trying to say here. This has nothing to do with a disability

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    Mute Gizmo mac
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:38 AM

    Whatsda Pistorious (that’s the new way I answer the phone to my buddies) it could catch on!!

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    Mute Paddy O'Sullivan
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:11 PM

    you don’t have many ‘buddies’ i take it.

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    Mute Noel Tabb
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:36 AM

    Cowboy

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Apr 15th 2014, 11:47 AM

    I’m absolutely stunned when I look at the comment in articles related to this trial. Most of the comments are from people who have already decided he was guilty. The trial is nothing more than paper work to these people.
    I don’t know whether he is guilty or not, but this certainly isn’t as clear cut as some people are trying to make out.

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    Mute Paddy O'Sullivan
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:13 PM

    totally agree, and if it was her that shot him those same people would be calling for her release immediately.

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    Mute Ciara Dillon
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    Apr 15th 2014, 2:43 PM

    I think what happened was ~ they were having an enormous row… she tried to get away from him because he is a proven lunatic!! She wouldn’t come out of the bathroom and he blasted shots through the door thinking she was at the toilet and she wasnt she was behind the door and he killed her!!

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    Mute FDL_
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    Apr 16th 2014, 1:57 AM

    Erm even is she was sitting on the toilet the shots would have hit her(in the head imo)or at least the ricochet would. The toilet cubicle is tiny btw.

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    Mute Ciara Dillon
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    Apr 18th 2014, 9:31 AM

    Have you seen the layout of the bathroom??????

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    Mute Wes Mc Loughlin
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    Apr 15th 2014, 2:30 PM

    Hasnt a leg to stand on in my view

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    Mute Paddy O'Sullivan
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:14 PM

    so you haven’t heard that ,,,ahem, joke since last February ?

    7
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    Mute Olivia Ahern
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    Apr 15th 2014, 8:29 PM

    Why would she lock the bathroom door in the middle of the night when it was just herself and her boyfriend in the house??

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    Mute Craig Ryan
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    Apr 15th 2014, 8:49 PM

    A valentines card????

    Roses are red
    Violets are blue
    Please dont shoot
    Its me on the loo

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    Mute Elaine Cleary Davis
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    Apr 16th 2014, 2:37 AM

    I think I must be the only person in the world following this trial that has a certain amount of empathy for Oscar Pistorius.
    In saying that, I don’t believe his version of events as I fully believe he knew it was Reeva Steenkamp that was in the bathroom, but at the same time I don’t think it was a pre-meditated, ruthless, cold-blooded murder as the prosecution are attempting to make it out to be.
    This is my humble opinion of how I think events unfolded …
    I believe they were a couple very much in love and had a very passionate relationship. And with a passionate relationship comes very intense and explosive rows. I think it started off as a verbal arguement that quickly gathered momentum. It was getting very heated and both were relentless and everyone knows that there’s no-one better at pressing your buttons than your very own partner. I think he snapped and grabbed his gun – not ever intending to use it – but just wanted to scare her. She then ran into the bathroom away from him – but at the same time not believing he’d ever fire at her either. But as the row raged on through the door, in a split-second of pure madness and frustration with her he found himself pulling on the trigger. I believe he was instantly horrified and distraught at what he had just done.
    He then panicked and lied about what happened and has been continuing that lie ever since. He has now found himself in a situation he can’t get out of.
    I think all the grief and emotion he showed on the stand is genuine because he did truely love her and is still in disbelief at what he did.
    While I do feel sorry for him because I feel he accidently lost the woman he loves by his own hand, he does absolutely deserve to be punished for his crime, because no matter how it happened, the girl is dead because of him.
    He should have told the truth from the start and pleaded manslaughter.
    In any case, the whole chain of events is such a sad tragedy for all involved.
    Would anyone else agree with that possible scenario … or not?

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    Mute Casey Berry
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    Apr 16th 2014, 4:03 AM

    Totally agree!

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    Mute Paul Huston
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    Apr 16th 2014, 7:07 AM

    Agree 100% but I don’t have any empathy for him, I understand your other half can push your buttons like no one else and in a fit of rage you can loose the head i understand that. But it takes a fair bit of presence of mind to go pick up a gun & open fire it don’t care how passionate your relationship is

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    Mute Elaine Cleary Davis
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    Apr 16th 2014, 11:12 AM

    Yes I agree with that. I accept that being totally wound up in the midst of a blazing row is no excuse for pulling a gun on some-one – let alone use it which is why he deserves to be tried and punished for it. But I imagine that it is a very fine line that you step over to reach that presence of mind and I believe in his case it was only for a very brief split second.
    I also think when you are around firearms as much as he is and you become very comfortable holding them and using them at firing ranges etc – you lose perspective of how lethal they are and lose the sense of danger surrounding them. And I feel his attitude to holding such a powerful weapon was just way too laid-back with devastating results.

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    Mute Barney r
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:38 PM

    Could they not use a lie detector test and the trial would be over in one day.How can you convict him without reasonable doubt when only 2 people are direct witness and only one survives.

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    Mute Dermot O'Reilly
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    Apr 15th 2014, 9:44 PM

    Pristorious has NOT a leg to stand on!

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    Mute Paddy O'Sullivan
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    Apr 15th 2014, 10:14 PM

    and again,,,,,so you haven’t heard that ,,,ahem, joke since last February ?

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    Mute FDL_
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    Apr 16th 2014, 1:53 AM

    This particular judge will charge him with murder, I’ve no doubt about that.

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