Sir, – I've been reading with interest the recent contributions (Letters, August 10th, 11th) regarding electric vehicles (EV) and, being a rural dweller myself, who only bought a middle-range EV last month, I asked myself would I recommend an EV to family or friends. The answer is a resounding no. The vehicle itself is excellent, very easy to drive and has a satisfactory average range of 250km. The Government has also been very generous with a grant and a VRT exemption totalling €10,000 toward the purchase price. However, the public charging infrastructure is abysmal and unreliable in rural areas. A recent daytrip to Sligo involved visiting three separate charging points, as one did not work and the second only delivered a fraction of the 22kw/h promised. The debacle was made all the more stressful for having a two-month-old baby in tow. The majority of all my visits to charging points have resulted in calls to the ESB because the point was out of action, even though they were listed as active on the mobile app. I note the ESB plans to spend €20 million installing 50 superfast charging points on various motorways over the next couple of years. If it is serious about encouraging the mass adoption of this new mode of transport, I suggest the money would be better invested installing reliable charging points in every town in the country. – Yours, etc,
CJ CARLIN,
Belturbet,
Co Cavan.