Short answer: charging at home costs roughly 6–35c per unit of electricity, while public fast charging runs from about 45c to 81c per unit depending on the network and speed. In other words, public charging typically costs two to ten times what you'd pay at home — which is why most drivers do the bulk of their charging at home and use public chargers mainly for journeys.
Here's the full breakdown, network by network, plus the extra fees worth knowing about so nothing surprises you.
Home vs public — the big picture
Electricity is priced per unit (per kWh — think price-per-litre, but for electricity).
- At home, standard rate: roughly 35c per unit.
- At home, on a special overnight EV tariff: as little as 6–8c per unit, if you charge in the small hours.
- Public fast charging: roughly 45c to 81c per unit, depending on network and speed.
A typical family EV holds somewhere around 60 units of usable charge. So a full charge from near-empty costs you somewhere around €4–5 at home overnight, or more like €30–€50 at a public fast charger. That gap is the single most useful thing to understand about EV running costs: home charging is where the savings are; public charging is for keeping moving on longer trips.
What public charging costs, network by network
These are rough pay-as-you-go rates per unit. Treat them as a guide for comparing networks, not a live price list — prices change often, so always check the charger screen or the app before you start.
| Network | Rough price per unit | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| ESB ecars | Slow ~59c · Fast ~64c · High Power ~66c | A monthly membership lowers these; card tap only at High Power units |
| EZO (EasyGo) | Slow from ~45c · Fast from ~50c | Small connection fee per session; one fob also works on ESB and Ionity |
| Applegreen Electric | ~73c (fast) | No connection fee — you pay only for what you use |
| Circle K | ~69c (fast) | Contactless only for private drivers (no consumer app in Ireland) |
| Ionity | ~81c at the charger, less with a subscription | No connection or idle fees |
| ePower | ~73c (high power) · ~66c with subscription | Same price however you pay; cheaper 11pm–6am |
| Tesla Supercharger | ~57–64c pay-as-you-go, less with membership | Tesla app only — no card tap |
| Weev | Slow ~60c · Rapid ~71c (contactless) | A bit cheaper through the app |
Among the cheapest for pay-as-you-go fast charging you'll generally find EZO; among the priciest at the charger, Ionity (unless you take one of their subscriptions). But the differences are modest next to the home-vs-public gap above.
What roaming with one fob costs
Carrying a single fob across networks — like tapping an EZO fob at an ESB charger — is wonderfully convenient. But that convenience isn't free: you pay a small roaming premium versus using the host network's own card.
As a real example, an EZO fob on an ESB High Power charger works out around 86c per unit all-in (the EZO roaming rate, plus an access fee and VAT), against roughly 66c on a native ESB charge card — about 30% more for the same electricity.
That doesn't make the fob a bad idea — it's the one-tap backup that works almost everywhere, and the gap is small in cash terms on a typical charge. But for the network you use most, it's worth also carrying that network's own card: the free ESB charge card, in particular, pays for itself in both reliability and price if you use ESB regularly. (Our fob guide covers which to carry.)
The extra fees to watch for
The headline per-unit price isn't always the whole story. Three things can add to a session:
Connection fees. A few networks add a small fixed fee per session (EZO, for example, adds about 27c per charge) on top of the per-unit rate. Most don't.
Pre-authorisation holds. When you tap a payment card, many chargers place a temporary hold on your account to check the card is good — anywhere from €1 up to €50 or more depending on the network. It's refunded within a few days, but if your balance is tight it's worth knowing it can briefly tie up funds.
Overstay fees. Many fast chargers charge a small per-minute fee if you leave your car plugged in after it's finished charging, to keep spaces free for others. Move your car promptly once it's done and you'll never pay these.
How to keep costs down
A few simple habits make the biggest difference:
- Charge at home whenever you can, ideally on an overnight EV tariff — this is where the real savings are.
- Use public fast chargers for journeys, not daily top-ups, since they cost several times more.
- If you regularly use one network, check its membership. ESB, Ionity, ePower, and Tesla all offer monthly plans that quickly pay for themselves if you charge often.
- Don't pay extra for the wrong payment method — at most networks the price is the same whether you tap a card, use the app, or use a charge card, so use whatever's easiest. (A few networks make their app slightly cheaper.)
Want to know how to actually pay at each of these networks? See our complete guide to paying at EV chargers in Ireland, or ask Echo in the EvEcho app — we're always happy to help you find your feet.