Let’s put electric vehicles in pole position – McGahon

Utility poles such as those used for electricity, can and should be used as EV charging points, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Louth Senator John McGahon wants us to put electric vehicles in pole position as we continue to reduce carbon emissions in our fight against climate change.

Senator McGahon said, “Utility poles that we see on our streets in every town and village across the country, such as electricity poles, should be used for EV charging points.

“With more and more people rightly thinking of making the switch to an electric vehicle, they need to be assured of access to chargers.

“In the city of Melrose in Massachusetts they have made great strides in using utility poles as EV chargers. Through a mobile app, users can scan a QR code located on the pole and automatically open a charging cable that lowers to the ground and extends the length of two car park spaces. It is safe and accessible.

“We must ensure EV charging points are more widely available here if we are serious about our ambitious target of having 1 million electric vehicles on our roads by 2030.

“In the Seanad I recently raised the issue of people in apartment blocks or houses with no driveway, and I am pleased to say that Government is examining ways to extend the EV home charger grant to these types of accommodation. To supplement this, I believe we should also be looking at using our easily accessible utility poles as charging points”, Senator McGahon concluded.