Ireland Plots High-Power Charging Hubs by 2028 as EV Ranks Pass 270,000

Ireland wants its plugs to catch up with its cars. Transport Minister Darragh O'Brien unveiled the National EV Infrastructure Strategy 2026–2028 on 4 November, charting the country's charging build-out through the end of 2028.

The headline target: high-power charging hubs along national roads and major traffic corridors, so drivers on long hauls aren't hunting for a socket. The government also wants more charging in residential areas — specifically for people in multi-family buildings and dense urban neighbourhoods who have no driveway of their own. Destination charging gets another push, and commercial fleets and heavy-duty vehicles get attention too, with depots and key transport routes flagged, though the announcement skips hard numbers per vehicle segment.

The EV fleet is already ahead of schedule. More than 270,000 electric vehicles are registered in Ireland, beating the Climate Action Plan's 2025 goal, according to the Department of Transport. EVs now take a 26.3 per cent share of new registrations — the single biggest powertrain group on Irish forecourts.

Public charging has been growing alongside them. Government figures put the network at more than 3,620 publicly accessible charging points across over 1,200 locations, with about 280 MW of installed capacity.

On the same day, a new fast-charging site at Circle K in Maynooth got the ribbon treatment as a taste of what's coming. Three funding programmes will back high-power sites along national roads. The strategy also demands accessibility — barrier-free design, cross-compatibility with vehicles and payment systems — and a regionally balanced rollout that satisfies the European Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation.

This slots into a wider electromobility push. In February 2026 the government opened a seven-million-euro funding programme for electrifying taxis and ride-hailing, with grants up to €25,000 depending on vehicle type and conditions. Delivery will lean on local authorities, infrastructure operators and public bodies, and a mid-term review lands in 2027 to check progress and adapt as tech and demand shift.