Nearly four in ten Irish car buyers want in excess of 500 kilometres from a full charge in an EV, writes Brian Byrne. That's roughly the distance from Belfast to Dingle (508km).
Yet the average one-way commute in Ireland is just 16.8 kilometres, according to data from the Central Statistics Office. Even in counties with the longest commutes — such as Laois (25.3km) and Roscommon (24.9km) — daily driving needs are still only a small fraction of the range buyers expect from an EV.
The majority of EV owners can charge their cars in their own home and avail of cheaper electricity, including night rate.
The survey, conducted in October 2025 among over 500 DoneDeal.ie users, shows that range and battery confidence still play a key role in Ireland’s EV shift, even as infrastructure and model options continue to grow.
