Help Centre
Guides and answers for using EvEcho and charging your EV in Ireland and Scotland.
Charging basics
How to Pay at EV Chargers in Ireland
A plain-English guide to paying at public EV chargers in Ireland — apps, RFID cards, contactless, and what to expect from each network.
Do I Need a Fob to Charge an EV in Ireland?
Short answer: not always — but one is worth having as a backup. Here's when you need a charge card or fob in Ireland, which one to get, and the setup catch nobody mentions.
Do Credit Cards Work at ESB Chargers in Ireland?
Short answer: only at ESB's newest High Power chargers — not at the standard or older units most people use. Here's exactly where a card tap works, where it doesn't, and what to do instead.
How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV in Ireland?
Charging at home costs around 9–35c per unit; public fast charging runs roughly 50–85c after the 2026 price rises. Here's a clear price comparison across every Irish network, plus the fees to watch for.
How to Charge an Electric Car for the First Time in Ireland
New to EVs and a bit nervous about your first public charge? Here's a calm, plain-English walkthrough — finding a charger, plugging in, paying, and what to do if something goes wrong.
Why Won't My EV Charge Start — or Keeps Stopping?
Short answer: the usual hidden culprit is your car's scheduled charging — it can make a session start then stop at 0 kWh. Here's how to tell that apart from a low fob balance or a faulty charger, and fix each.
Does EZO Charge a Connection Fee?
Yes. EZO charges pay-as-you-go users an access fee of €1.50 per charging session at most rapid sites and €1.70 at its Lidl sites, on top of the per-unit price. Checked 2 October 2026 from EZO's own tariff data.
Charging in Scotland
How to Pay at EV Chargers in Scotland (Every Network)
Short answer: contactless works on most rapid chargers whoever runs them, and it's your simplest option. Beyond that, each network has its own app or card — and Scotland now has many networks, because ChargePlace Scotland is handing its chargers to new operators through 2026. Here's how to pay on every one.
How to Pay at a ChargePlace Scotland Charger
Short answer: tap a contactless bank card where you can, use the free CPS app or a £12 RFID card everywhere else, and keep Webpay as the no-account fallback. Here's how each works — and what's changing through 2026.
Do I Need a Card or App to Charge in Scotland?
Short answer: not always — contactless and Webpay cover one-off charges with no account at all. But plenty of older ChargePlace Scotland units need the app or an RFID card, and some can only be started with the card. Here's the honest version.
Are Scotland's EV Chargers Reliable? What to Expect
Short answer: charging in Scotland mostly works, but the network has two quirks — 'unknown' on the map usually means the charger's data connection is down, not the charger itself, and 'available' can occasionally be a phantom. Here's how to read both, and how to charge stress-free.
Charging Your EV in Scotland as a Visitor
Short answer: for a one-off trip, look for contactless first and use Webpay where there's none — no account needed. Staying longer or going rural? Register with ChargePlace Scotland and let EvEcho show you what's live across every network. Here's the visitor's guide, from Ireland or the rest of the UK.
Charging in the UK
Can't find what you need? Email us at hello@evecho.ie