ESB to increase the price for charging an electric vehicle at its public stations

Electric vehicle (EV) drivers who rely on public charging are set to feel the pinch, as the ESB has announced another sharp increase in its charging prices.

From 30th July, rates will rise by up to 15%, bringing the cost of charging close to, and in some cases higher than, the cost of filling up with petrol or diesel.

Cost to the consumer

The ESB operates two pricing models: one for PAYG customers, and one for subscribers who pay a monthly fee in return for cheaper rates.

From 30th July, both sets of users will see increases of between 12% and 15%.

PAYG customers will now pay between €0.59 and €0.66 per kWh, depending on charger speed.

For those with a monthly subscription, prices will range from €0.54 to €0.61 per kWh. But the cost of a monthly subscription will remain at €4.79 a month.

Not so long ago, charges ranged from just €0.27 per kWh. And before 2019 EV public charging in Ireland with ESB was actually free. But those days are long gone.

The move will especially penalise EV drivers who don't currently have access to home charging, and who therefore have to rely on public charging points. This includes most people living in an apartment or those living in terraced housing or without access to a driveway.

*Minimum 12-month contract 

Why is ESB increasing its prices?

ESB says its increasing its prices in response to sustained increases in its operational costs as well as increases in electricity network charges.

But it says its new pricing will support continued investment in its EV charging network and the continued rollout of high power chargers.

We remain committed to offering service and value to our customers. The new prices will remain competitive in the marketplace, particularly for customers using fast and high power chargers.

ESB spokesperson

What will the price increase mean for customers?

Let’s look at a real-world example.

A round trip from Dublin to Galway (around 400 km), with most of the charge done at home and a 60 km top-up at a fast charger en route, will now cost drivers around €18.

If the full journey was charged using only ESB fast chargers on a PAYG plan, the cost would jump to between €45 and €50.

In contrast, a diesel car could make the same trip for about €45 — meaning the cost gap between EVs and traditional cars has pretty much gone, unless you can charge at home.

Lack of joined up thinking?

The price increase comes at a somewhat difficult time for the EV industry.

According to the Central Statistics Office, for the first six months of 2025, 17% of all new car registrations in Ireland were EVs, which is up from 14% the same time last year.

But with fewer than 200,000 EVs (including plug-ins and hybrids) on Irish roads at present, we're nowhere near the target of around 1 million by 2030 that has been set out in the Government's Climate Action Plan.

And making EV public charging as expensive as petrol and diesel is not going to encourage the mass adoption of EVs which the Government wants to happen. 

What's more, the lack of a proper public charging network continues to make people wary of making the move from petrol and diesel. 

At the moment there are around 2,500 EV charging points across the country, which on the face of it compares well to the 2,000 or so forecourts nationwide. But many of these charging points will be out of action from time to time. And of course charging an EV takes much longer than filling up your tank. So at least double the number, if not more, is needed to help avoid long queues at charging points at busy times and to avoid range anxiety among drivers.   

EVs remain a crucial part of our journey to a greener future. But for many, that journey is starting to look more expensive. And a lot more frustrating.

Cut the cost of charging your EV with bonkers.ie

Although the cost of public charging is increasing, if you have a charger at home you can still cut down on your driving costs by switching to a cheaper supplier.

On bonkers.ie you can now compare electricity tariffs using your smart meter data. Just log into your ESB Networks online account and download your energy file. Then upload this to bonkers.ie when comparing prices and we'll match you up with the best EV tariff for your particular needs.   

Switching is quick and easy and can save you hundreds on your annual energy bill.