Fleet electrification is expected to continue to provide the greatest share of emissions abatement in the short-to-medium term for the transport sector. Over €120m has been allocated in 2026 to support the continued transition to electric vehicles through funding for EV grants and EV charging infrastructure. This underpins the Government’s commitment to making electric vehicles accessible to all.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (now Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment) held responsibility for electric vehicle and charging grants in 2020. Therefore, the requested details of EV grants drawn down are set out below for the years 2021 to 2026.
|
Year
|
Budget Allocated
|
Number of Grants Offered
|
Number Grants Drawn Down
|
Grants paid to vehicles €15-20K
|
Grants paid to vehicles €20-25K
|
Grants paid to vehicles €25-30K
|
Grants paid to vehicles €30-35K
|
Grants paid to vehicles €35-40K
|
Grants paid to vehicles €40-45K
|
Grants paid to vehicles €45-50K
|
Grants paid to vehicles €50-55K
|
Grants paid to vehicles over €55k
|
|
2021
|
€63,000,000
|
16,184
|
13,409
|
|
2
|
14
|
444
|
1,953
|
1,980
|
2,006
|
1,161
|
2,834
|
|
2022
|
€60,000,000
|
11,560
|
10,891
|
|
2
|
16
|
114
|
1,256
|
1,931
|
1,534
|
1,344
|
3,783
|
|
2023
|
€68,000,000
|
18,219
|
15,843
|
|
1
|
2
|
251
|
818
|
1,598
|
2,863
|
3,217
|
5,589
|
|
2024
|
€59,950,000
|
13,777
|
12,304
|
|
6
|
53
|
452
|
901
|
1,027
|
2,757
|
2,172
|
2,363
|
|
2025
|
€67,500,000
|
21,244
|
18,651
|
34
|
170
|
964
|
643
|
1,036
|
2,308
|
4,193
|
3,712
|
2,569
|
The Private grants available during this time were as follows:
|
2021
|
|
|
Max. PHEV Grant up to June
|
€5,000
|
|
Max. PHEV Grant from June
|
€2,500
|
|
Max. BEV Grant
|
€5,000
|
|
|
|
|
2022
|
|
|
Max. BEV Grant
|
€5,000
|
|
|
|
|
2023
|
|
|
Max. BEV Grant up to June
|
€5,000
|
|
Max. BEV Grant from June
|
€3,500
|
|
|
|
|
2024-2026
|
|
|
Max. BEV Grant
|
€3,500
|
Alongside the EV Grant Scheme, and to promote the decarbonisation of the heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), my Department launched the Alternatively Fuelled Heavy-Duty Vehicle Purchase Grant Scheme in March 2021. The Scheme was intended to help bridge some of the difference in purchase price between conventional HDVs and those powered by alternatively fuelled power-trains. In line with changes to the state aid regime, the Department amended the scheme to focus on "Zero" emission vehicles and launched the ZEHDV scheme in 2024.
The scheme is administered by Transport Infrastructure Ireland and funded by Department of Transport. It awards grants to assist companies and enterprises who wish to buy zero-emission heavy duty vehicles instead of buying the diesel equivalent. In November 2024, the scheme was expanded to include purchase grants for recharging infrastructure.
The total funding made available for the ZEHDV Grant Scheme since 2024 to date is €11m. Almost €4m has been drawn down to support 76 vehicles, all of which are electric and include large HDVs, refuse trucks, large vans and buses.
