Call for government to investigate if price gouging is taking place at EV charging points

The Government must investigate if price gouging is taking place at public electric vehicle charging points, according to Social Democrats environment and energy spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore.

“Electric vehicles are an attractive prospect for drivers for two reasons: they’re more environmentally friendly than cars which run on petrol or diesel, and they’re cheaper to run than their fossil fuel counterparts,” Deputy Whitmore said.

“While the former remains true, the latter, shockingly, is now a thing of the past.

“The cost of charging an EV at public charging points is now just as high as filling a car with petrol or diesel, removing one of the key incentives encouraging drivers to go electric.

“This is an extraordinary development.

“The price of electricity at charging points on the Ionity public network has skyrocketed, far exceeding the cost of electricity in Irish households, which is already the most expensive in Europe.

“This development is especially concerning for those who live in terraced houses or properties subject to stricter planning permission when applying to install an EV charging point.

“These drivers will be forced to pay over-the-odds at public charging points.

“These prices are outrageous, especially at a time when households are being fleeced from all angles, from supermarket checkouts to gas and electricity bills.

“The Government must investigate if there is price gouging in the EV charging market.

“EVs must be economically viable to adopt and run, and cheaper than petrol and diesel, if people are going to switch to them.“