Electric vehicle deal agreed

The Government has today signed a second memorandum with a major motor manufacture to promote the development of the electric vehicle industry in Ireland.

The Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan and senior executives of the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation signed the agreement at Trinity College Dublin this morning.

The ESB, which is also a party to the memo, also announced that it is to begin the first electric car trial programme for Ireland in conjunction with TCD. It follows a similar memorandum signed by the Government and ESB with the Renault-Nissan consortium.

A fleet of Mitsusbishi's new all-electric i-MiEV model will be used throughout Ireland to support and test the new charging-point infrastructure.

Over the next two years, the ESB will install 1,500 roadside and kerbside charging points throughout the country. It will also facilitate the installation of some 2,000 charging points in homes. It is envisaged that the bulk of charging will be done overnight in people's homes using reduced night-time electricity rates. So, far there has been a commitment to install 30 fast-charging units.

Under the agreement the Mitsubishi electric vehicles (EVs) will be made available to a wide range of users - both residential and corporate – to enable the testing of the practicality and feasibility of the new charging network.

"It's another important milestone in the electricisation of the Irish motoring fleet," said Mr Ryan. He said that today's agreement would strengthen Ireland's international position as a first-mover and ideal test-bed for the new technology.

ESB chief executive Padraig McManus said that the ESB was pressing ahead with its charging point programme.

"As a major force in the global market, Mitsubishi's endorsement of Ireland as an environment for EVs is extremely encouraging."

The president and chief executive of Mitsubishin Motors Europe Akinori Nakanishi said the i-MiEV is one of the first consumer electric vehicles to be launched in Europe. "[It] is set to revolutionise the way we think about cars," he said. "We see Ireland as a very important market for EVs and are delighted to announce this memorandum."

The long-term aim of the Government is to have 10 per cent of the fleet electric by 2020. Mr McManus said that the number of public chargepoints would keep pace with demand.