New report says Northern Ireland's EV charging blackhole is 'shocking'

Northern Ireland businesses are missing out on additional revenue by failing to install EV charging points, according to a new report.

The latest figures released by the Department for Transport this week, via chargepoint platform Zapmap, show that Northern Ireland had just 29 chargers per 100,000 people, compared to London, which had the highest at 221 and Scotland with 93.

Global EV charging pioneer Virta said while the figures were bad news for drivers in Northern Ireland, they also represented a real opportunity for businesses.

“With the growing number of EV drivers on the roads, consumers are more and more likely to choose where to spend their money based on where they can charge their car,” said Virta’s Suki Sangha.

“For more than 80% of EV drivers globally, EV charging has an impact when deciding where to shop. Equally, eight out of 10 hotel guests say EV charging has a direct impact on whether or not they book a room.

“EV charging is becoming an expectation at amenities, attractions and hotels and this represents a tremendous opportunity for businesses to get in at the ground level.

“The latest figures show that Northern Ireland has a dearth of EV chargers, so installing a charging infrastructure could be a real revenue boost for businesses who can fill that gap.”

Virta has outlined EV charging opportunities for businesses on its website at www.virta.global/business.

Named for the fifth year running as one of Europe’s fastest growing companies by the Financial Times, Virta operates in 35 countries across the globe with more than 500,000 charging points through roaming, including hundreds across the UK and Ireland.