Electric vehicle (EV) owners in Ireland are paying some of the highest home charging costs in Europe, with electricity prices significantly above the European average, according to new research by DoneDeal Cars.
The study found that charging a family-sized EV such as the Volkswagen ID.4 costs Irish motorists around €1,132 per year—considerably more than in most European countries. That’s €398 more than in Spain, €306 higher than in the Netherlands, €249 more than in France, and €230 above the cost in the United Kingdom.
Only Germany recorded higher costs, with drivers there paying roughly €74 more annually to charge the same model.
The figures were based on data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), using Ireland’s average household electricity price and assuming typical usage levels. The IEA’s latest analysis also revealed that Ireland’s energy retail prices are among the highest globally, at nearly three times wholesale rates.
Ireland currently has the highest household electricity prices in the European Union, averaging €0.45 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). That compares with just €0.11 per kWh in Hungary and Bulgaria. The energy component alone makes up around €0.33 per kWh—again, the highest in Europe.
The high costs are driven by several factors, including network charges, grid constraints, legacy renewable subsidies, and a heavy dependence on natural gas.
Despite these costs, DoneDeal’s research noted that charging an EV remains cheaper than fueling a petrol vehicle. However, it warned that Irish drivers are paying “hundreds of euro more each year” than EV owners elsewhere in Europe, and that the difference in charging costs between countries is now greater than the gap in petrol prices.
“While petrol prices across Europe typically differ by about €332 a year between the cheapest and most expensive countries, the gap in domestic EV charging costs is around €472—roughly 50% larger,” the report stated.
The findings come amid ongoing discussions about Ireland’s energy infrastructure and the government’s efforts to encourage EV adoption as part of its climate goals. With electricity prices remaining high, analysts warn that rising home charging costs could undermine incentives for drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles.
