EV Charging Calculator

As of August 2026, EZO (formerly EasyGo) is one of the most competitive networks at €0.50/kWh DC + €0.27 connection fee. Weev offers off-peak rates from €0.50/kWh (22:00–07:00) and Brite from €0.55/kWh (weekday nights 00:00–07:00), with no connection fee since October 2025. ESB eCars remains the most widely available network with over 1,400 charge points nationwide, with PAYG rates from €0.70/kWh on AC and €0.83/kWh on DC (from 2 November 2026). Ionity Direct rate is €0.81/kWh (no app needed), very competitive with a Motion membership (€5.99/mo → €0.58/kWh) or Power membership (€11.99/mo → €0.46/kWh) for regular motorway users.

Use the calculator above to compare your specific EV and usage pattern. The cheapest network depends heavily on your car's max charging speed and how often you charge.

No, most Irish networks now support contactless card payment at the charger, so you can pay without any app or membership. However, a membership almost always gives you a lower per-kWh rate. For example, ESB eCars Charge Lite membership (€4.79/month) reduces the DC rate from €0.83 to €0.78/kWh, while Ionity Motion (€5.99/mo) cuts the rate from €0.81 to €0.58/kWh, paying off after just one session. If you charge more than 2–3 times per month on the same network, the maths usually favours a membership.

Networks like EZO (EasyGo) and InstaVolt are purely contactless PAYG, with no membership available or required. Tesla Supercharger is the opposite: app-only, no contactless card support.

AC (alternating current) chargers are slower (typically 7kW to 22kW) and use your car's onboard charger. They're suited for destination charging (supermarkets, car parks) where you'll be parked for an hour or more. Most public AC chargers in Ireland are 22kW, but your car may accept less (e.g. a Nissan Leaf is limited to 7.4kW AC).

DC (direct current) fast chargers bypass the onboard charger and feed the battery directly. They range from 50kW to 350kW and can add 100km of range in 15–30 minutes. DC charging is more expensive per kWh but far quicker, ideal for motorway stops. Most modern EVs support at least 50kW DC; newer models accept 100–250kW+.

Yes, and access has expanded well beyond Tesla's original 2023 rollout. As of August 2026, Tesla's own site (tesla.com/findus) confirms Dublin, Cork, Tralee and Athenry as CCS-compatible "Open to Others" sites; Enfield was part of the same original cohort and is presumed still open. New V4 stations built in 2026, including Mallow and Limerick, are also reported open to non-Tesla drivers by local press. You need the Tesla app to pay. There's no contactless card support. Rates for non-Tesla drivers are €0.57–€0.64/kWh PAYG (demand-driven), or €0.42–€0.47/kWh with a Tesla Supercharging membership (€12.99/month). Access has changed without notice before, so always check tesla.com/findus or the Tesla app for the current list. Older CHAdeMO-only vehicles (e.g. the original Nissan Leaf 40kWh) cannot use Superchargers.

Peak/off-peak (time-of-use) pricing means the cost per kWh varies by time of day. Three Irish networks currently use this model: Weev charges more during daytime hours and less in the evening; Brite has four rate windows across weekdays and weekends; Tesla Supercharger uses demand-based pricing that is higher during busy periods.

When you select one of these networks in the calculator, a 24-hour rate timeline appears showing exactly when each rate applies. The results are automatically calculated using the current time of day so you see your real cost right now, plus a recommendation for the cheapest window.

A typical 60kWh EV charged from 20% to 80% (adding 36kWh) at a motorway-grade DC fast charger costs approximately €25–€30 PAYG depending on the network (Ionity, ESB eCars HPC, Applegreen, Circle K). ESB and Ionity offer membership plans that can bring that down to roughly €17–€28 (Ionity's Power tier is the cheapest option overall); Applegreen and Circle K don't currently offer a discounted membership rate. The highest-power chargers (150–350kW) don't always charge faster for most cars. Your car's DC charge limit is the real constraint.

Use the calculator to select your specific EV and see the exact cost and charge time at each network for any battery range you choose.

Usually yes, but the margin is smaller than home charging. A typical diesel fills up at roughly €1.92/litre and petrol at roughly €1.84/litre; an equivalent amount of range from a public DC charger at €0.65/kWh is generally cheaper per kilometre, though the gap varies a lot by vehicle efficiency and network. The savings are most dramatic if you use a membership or off-peak rates.

The calculator's "EV vs Diesel/Petrol" section below your results shows the exact monthly and annual saving for your specific vehicle and usage pattern.

All network prices are reviewed regularly from official provider websites. ESB eCars rates confirmed from esb.ie (4 November 2026, valid from 2 November 2026). EZO rates confirmed from ezo.ie (March 2026). Ionity Ireland full subscription pricing fully reconfirmed live from ionity.eu/subscriptions (August 2026): Direct €0.81 | App €0.77 | Motion Monthly €5.99/€0.58 (365 annual €49.99/€0.59) | Power Monthly €11.99/€0.46 (365 annual €99.99/€0.47). ePower member rates confirmed from epower.ie/everyday (August 2026); DC rate €0.66/kWh. Applegreen rates confirmed directly from its own contact/FAQ page (April 2026). Brite rates updated to reflect October 2025 changes (connection fee removed, TOU rates revised) via IEVOA. Circle K, Weev and InstaVolt rates are sourced from the IEVOA December 2024 comparison. Live verification was not possible and these may have changed. Always verify the current rate in the network's app before a session. This calculator was last updated November 2026.

The calculation uses your car's actual battery size and max charging speed from our EV database, applies real-world charging efficiency (85% for DC, 90% for AC), and factors in per-session connection fees where applicable. Time-of-use networks (Weev, Brite, Tesla) are calculated using the current time of day so the cost shown reflects what you'd pay right now.