The Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien has announced a suite of initiatives aimed at accelerating the transition to electric vehicles and encouraging a cleaner and more sustainable transport future for Ireland.

The initiatives are a new scheme for electric motorcycles; a renewal of the taxi, hackney and limousine scheme; and a pilot to explore shared options for home charging.

The L Category Grant Scheme for electric motorcycles is a targeted initiative offering financial support towards the purchase of new electric motorcycles. Administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and funded by the Department of Transport and Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), the scheme offers grants ranging from €500 to €1,000 for various vehicle categories, including:

• €500 for L1e - B light two-wheel powered vehicles (maximum speed of 45km/h)
• €1,000 for L3e two-wheel motorcycles capable of exceeding 45km/h
• Any other electric L category vehicle will be considered as they become available in Ireland.

The eSPSV Grant Scheme will continue in 2025 with a budget of a €12.5 million. The scheme offers up to €20,000 for taxi, hackney and limousine operators switching to electric vehicles, with up to €25,000 available for wheelchair-accessible models. Since its inception in 2018, this scheme has helped over 2,800 small public service vehicle (SPSV) operators make the switch to electric vehicles. More details are available on the NTA website.

To address a particular challenge of home-charging access, the Minister also introduced a Shared Charging Pilot Scheme. This innovative, peer-to-peer programme enables homeowners to rent their EV chargers to others through a booking platform, offering cost-effective charging options for EV owners who don’t have private off-street parking.

The pilot will be supported by ZEVI and will be rolled out in urban, suburban and rural areas.

Commenting on the pilot, Minister O’Brien said, “The Shared Charging Pilot Scheme will aim to make EV charging more accessible and affordable while easing demand on public infrastructure. The data gathered will be used to inform future charging rollout plans and help shape policies.”

Further details of these initiatives are available on the new Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland website: www.zevi.ie. This dedicated platform has been launched to help centralise EV-related resources, and provide a comprehensive platform for grants, policies and updates on zero-emission vehicle programmes in Ireland.