Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming an increasingly common sight on Irish roads, with petrol and diesel cars set to be phased out altogether over the next decade – but a key question remains whether they are suitable for rural drivers?
Automotive services firm AA Ireland has compiled a guide of information for prospective rural EV drivers thinking about going electric, taking into consideration costs, battery life and – crucially – mileage and charging facilities.
Electric vehicles – costs
Looking first at costs, the AA notes that EVs are generally more expensive to purchase than petrol or diesel cars, given they’re more expensive to produce.
Smaller electric vehicles start off around the €26-29,000 range, the firm says, with larger cars about €10,000 more. Meanwhile, the BMW i3 starts from €44,000, while a Tesla Model 3 cost around €53,000, the services company notes.
However, there are grants available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and a VRT relief, which combined can reduce the price of an EV by up to €10,000.
Looking to the running costs side of things, the AA notes a significant difference between EVs and the traditional petrol and diesel cars, stating:
“Charging on the public networks works out at around €4 per 100km, or €5 if using fast chargers. At home, it’s likely to cost you €3.50, but could be as low as €1.87 if you have a night-rate as part of your electricity bundle.
“That’s compared to around €8.35 for petrol (allowing 5.7L per 100km at July 2021 fuel prices) or €7.07 for diesel (allowing 5.1L per 100km at July 2021 prices),” the AA guide says.
Meanwhile, there are also savings to be had with road tax and tolls.
Mileage
However, that’s all very well and good – but what is mileage like? This, naturally, should be a key consideration – with drivers urged to work out how much they actually drive on a daily and weekly basis before taking the plunge.
Ranges are currently between 235km for an Electric Mini to 580km for a Tesla Model 3, with most somewhere in the middle, the AA says.
Many are capable of over 300km on a single charge. As a guide, the average Irish car was driven 16,867km in 2019, so about 314km a week, the company estimates.
However, a key warning added was to allow for a slightly lower range if you’re doing a lot of motorway driving.
Also one should remember that range will also drop in cold winter weather, reducing it by about 10-15%, especially if you’re using the heater more, the AA advises.
“If you have a high weekly total, a particularly long commute, or an unpredictable travel pattern, you may not find a vehicle that matches both your range and budget,” the company says, but urges not to rule it out until you’ve done the maths.
Electric vehicles – charging
In terms of charging points – a key concern for a rural driver – first off, the AA recommends installing a home charger, adding:
“There’s currently an SEAI grant of €600 to help with the costs of this. Some EVs also come with a cable for a standard three-pin socket, although this is a very slow option and may not work in cases where it would mean leaving your front door open.”
In terms of public chargers, the AA says: “The ESB network has over 1,300 chargers and EasyGo have at least 400 more, often installed by businesses for the customers.
“There are others installed by county councils in lamp-posts and some in petrol stations, including some Circle K and Applegreen.”
Looking at charging times, the firm adds: “It’s worth looking at the types of charger your preferred car would use too – some now have the option of a fast charge that makes longer journeys more doable.
“You can expect public chargers to take a couple of hours to get to 100%, but fast chargers can get you to 80% in less than an hour.
“And most models will get an extra 100km range in a shorter charging time if you’re just looking to complete a journey rather than filling up.”
Battery life
Finally, touching on another area of concern in battery life, the AA notes that many manufacturers provide a guarantee for eight years or 160,000km for their batteries.
However, quoting the Irish EV Owners Association, the firm notes association claims that batteries “will last at least 10 years with only a small loss of capacity”.
Battery replacement and recycling are likely to become more widespread in the coming years too, it says.
All things considered, taking the AA’s advice on board, depending on how remote you are or what your local facilities are like, taking the electric route with EVs can prove to be a viable option for many rural drivers.
However, a change in driving habits may be necessary – with plenty of thought needed for one’s individual situation in terms of charging points, required charging time and other such factors.
Ultimately, it’s an individual choice that should be carefully weighed up.
More details on EVs and advice for drivers can be found on the AA website here.
