I plan on getting an EV at some stage but wanted to get ahead of the game and get a charger installed first , is this a bad idea as in are there different chargers and I should wait until I know what type of car I want ?

Hey folks, looking for some opinions on the feasibility of me purchasing an EV while not having access to an at home charger.

From researching this is generally not a good idea however since I live right in the middle of Dublin there’s a good chance of always sourcing a charger somewhere.

Anyone tried this and find it ok or should I just revert to a combustion engine

Thanks for any replies!

Hi,

Looking for some advice off of people who have the Toyota bz been offered cost of change at 32k including 3 years free servicing on the bz and 33k on standard elroq.

Does anyone have these and how do they find them day to day. The Toyota seems good value I only plan to hold either car for two years before trading back in for a newer model.

Before we pull the trigger anyone make a case for the elroq over the Toyota?

Tia

Hi, I travel a lot for work and have a company car / fleet vehicle, which is due for renewal. I've gotten a list and it's basically a range of VW/Skoda/Seat/Cupra options with a few extras. Everything from diesel to hybrid to electric and I'm planning on going full EV, as the benefit in kind for diesel is a killer if my annual mileage is not very high, and my territory has changed I won't be travelling quite as much. I travel A to B each day, rather than constantly roving, and I do work from home approx 2 days a week. My longest journey in a typical week would be approx 250km in one day, average would be 200km return daily. Once a quarter I might go to head office in Dublin which is 300km round trip.

With the range of the latest EVs I feel I won't get caught out with low charge, but I'm also being told I won't get good range in winter.

Has anyone who has a fleet vehicle or does a lot of driving each week made the switch to EV from diesel? How has it worked out for you? Have you noticed a significant difference in the BIK?

At the moment I think I've narrowed down to Skoda Enyaq. Have a young family and third child on the way, so want plenty of space for all the gear! I think it's the roomiest option on my list, potentially ID4 as a close competitor but I feel the Enyaq has bigger boot, and it has isofix in front passenger seat which is a key advantage for my family.

As per title, planning on an EV for next year, mainly be charging at home over night, have smart meter and insights app. How do you go about claiming those costs back, is there a sperate app or through the cars connectivity app ? Probably a kia Ev5

I was very nervous about getting my first car since I’m only 4’8 woman. We have a Peugeot as our family car but there is no way that I can drive it. It’s like a sitting on a tub, cluttered dashboard and seatbelt is there to choke you! This car disheartened me for years about driving..

But when I sat in i3, even though the seat adjustment is limited, the high position was perfect. There is no clutter so you can actually see the road! The seat goes all the way to the front, I don’t even need to go fully. Ground mounted accelerator pedal makes things very comfortable for short people. And lastly the seatbelt is there to protect you, not to kill you!

Love love love

Fair play BMW!! I hope your new electric cars are also short people friendly too!

Interested to hear the experience of Audi EV owners here, the good and bad.

From what i can tell there is a lot of EV hate in ICE forums, but i heard horror stories about their batteries ( etron gt ? )

Tesla are running 2K free kms offer till 29th on referrals. Do check for referrals with your near and dear ones. In case you dont know, i can always share mine :) Happy Ev’ing!

Just a quick update on my Inster with coolant leak. Got it back yesterday after the long wait for the hose (4 weeks), but it’s still leaking (Original post here and the second follow up here).

The dealer is being sound enough. They’re giving me a loaner on Monday and taking it back in to look at it again.

But if it’s the same issue, I’m wondering what the craic is. Looking at the CCPC guidelines, it looks like I can demand a refund since it’s under a year old, but has anyone actually gone through with this?

Has anyone here actually rejected a car or gotten a full refund from a dealer recently? Just want to know if it’s a total nightmare to get them to move on it or if citing the guidelines is enough.

Cheers.

Anyone had this issue? It had been working fine up till today I tried turning the charger off at the isolator and turning it back on, but no luck. Eventually just gave up and set up the scheduled charging on the car.

Hi everyone. I recently went through the process of importing a used EV from Northern Ireland (down to the ROI) and wanted to share my diary of the experience to help anyone looking to do the same! I have used Ai tools to track my experience and thoughts/comments throughout.

The ROI market was too pricey, so my go-to site was Usedcarsni. Because it’s a used EV, bringing it in from NI with the correct customs paperwork (under the Windsor Framework) means avoiding the 23% VAT trap and availing of the VRT exemption.

Here is the breakdown of my remote import journey.

1. Sourcing & Vetting: The 3 Dealers

I narrowed my search to three cars. I bought a 3-car bundle on vcheck to run the registrations, which completely saved me.

• Dealer 1: Turbo Cars, Newry
  • 🚩 Finance: Vcheck flagged outstanding finance. The dealer claimed it was old and a car "cannot have 2 finance agreements." Finance company has yet to reply.
  • 🚩 Inspection: Dismissed my request for an independent EV inspector, claiming there was "no need" as he is AA approved.
  • 🚩 Customs: Vaguely offered a "North-South waiver." Took a full week to confirm he actually had the required TSS/SAD document. Absolute cowboy stuff.
• Dealer 2: Donnelly Group Motorstore, Dungannon
  • 🚩 Paperwork: Quoted 2 full weeks just to process export documents, despite advertising the car as "Ideal for ROI export."
  • 🚩 Delivery: Flat-out refused to offer delivery down South.
  • 🚩 Battery Health: Admitted they don't do battery checks and seemed clueless about them. Too much hassle and risk.
• Dealer 3: iGen Autos, Magherafelt
  • ✅ Transparency: No pics online initially as car was being prepped, but upon contact, Wes immediately sent pics, videos, and the reg.
  • ✅ Clear History: Background was crystal clear with zero finance.
  • ✅ Knowledgeable: Reassuring about ROI imports. Knew exactly how to handle the UK V5C logbook (giving me the physical book rather than posting it to the DVLA).
  • ✅ Battery Proof: Provided an independent AVILOO battery health cert.
  • ✅ Accommodation: Arranged a flatbed to my driveway in Dublin and gave my inspector full access to their ramp.

2. The Independent Inspection

I wasn't going to blindly transfer £23k across the border, so I rang around for independent vehicle inspectors. Well-known companies like Gillespie and Emerald Assessors were too pricey for my needs.

Inspector	Quote
Clements	£150
Andy McNeice	£220 (Hired)
Leinster	€250
Emerald	£300

Hiring Andy was the best money I spent. He knew exactly what an EV needed:

• The Ramp & Test Drive: Checked the underbody, suspension, and driving dynamics.
• Service Mode: Accessed the computer for hidden fault codes/warnings.
• The Verdict: Mechanically sound, no software faults, and noted the dealer had just put on brand-new tyres and pristine alloys.

The Battery Health: Andy signed off on the mechanicals, and iGen Autos provided the official AVILOO Certificate. It scored a brilliant 92.2% State of Health (SoH) ("GOOD HEALTH - NO ABNORMALITIES DETECTED"). Anxiety completely removed.

3. Payment, Delivery & Insurance

• The Payment Hack: The total was £23,395. Traditional Irish banks will hammer you on exchange rates for a sum that large. I used Revolut to transfer directly to the dealer's UK account. Zero currency exchange fees, just a flat ~£30 transfer fee. Saved hundreds of Euros.
• Insurance: Surprisingly hassle-free. Called my Irish provider with the UK reg, VIN, and model. They instantly issued a 30-day temporary cover note on the UK plates. I was fully insured by 17:30, ready for the truck!
• The Handover Checklist: When the flatbed arrived, I made sure I physically held these documents before the driver left:
  1. The V5C Logbook: UK dealers instinctively post this to the DVLA. Do not let them. They must tear off the export slip for themselves and give YOU the rest. The NCTS will refuse VRT without it.
  2. TSS Customs Document: Needs the MRN and Procedure Code 4000. This is your shield against the 23% VAT border bill.
  3. "Paid in Full" Invoice: Crucial for VRT.

4. The VRT Process (NCTS)

You officially have 7 days to book an appointment once the car enters the State, and 30 days to register. The NCTS portal is notoriously backed up (2+ weeks), but I had unheard-of luck and snagged a same-day appointment!

I braced for bureaucracy, but it was a breeze:

1. The Desk: Handed over my folder (crucially: physical V5C and printed TSS Customs Document).
2. The Inspection: 10 minutes later, the inspector verified the VIN matched the V5C and checked the odometer. No mechanical check.
3. The Payment: Because of the EV VRT relief and correct NI customs paperwork, I owed exactly €0 in VRT or VAT.
4. The Grand Total: Exactly €11.20 for the Environmental Management Cost (tyre recycling fee).

They handed me my receipt with my brand-new Irish Registration Number on the spot. Easy.

Timeline Summary

• Tuesday: Deposit paid to hold car.
• Thursday: Inspection by Andy.
• Friday: Balance paid via Revolut.
• Wednesday: Car delivered on flatbed.
• Thursday: VRT appointment booked and cleared.

Edit: to add this was a GB registered car. So needed either TSS or SAD document depending on when the dealer cleared it for VAT/Customs (point of import or point of sale)

Hey everyone, I’ve been browsing used EV listings lately and started wondering if a smaller EV could actually suit my routine. My commute isn’t huge, but it’s regular, and between work, errands, and a few weekly trips, I’m trying to find something practical without stretching the budget too far. I know most people recommend cars like the Ioniq, Leaf, Zoe, MG4, or even older i3 models, but I keep seeing more compact options mentioned in other places, which got me curious. Some seem designed purely for city use, and I’m not sure how well they translate to Irish roads or conditions. I even spotted a few unusual listings online while browsing, which made me question what’s realistic versus what just looks good online. So I wanted to ask if anyone here has actually daily-driven a mini electric car in Ireland. How does it handle range, colder weather, comfort, insurance, and reliability? Would something that small realistically handle Dublin or commuter routes, or do limitations start to show quickly? Appreciate any honest experiences or advice.

Just wondering if anyone has done the math on the loss of car tax revenue for the government year on year as EV Sales continue to grow and do we think the government are going to try and recoup this somehow in the future?

Am I being unreasonable to expect an automatic courtesy car from a VW dealer for the battery mod recall which could take days - like every other car is hybrid / phev / ev these days? I tried to book my car in for the recall yesterday and was told there was no car available until mid June.. then it was the end of June - fine .. and was then told they only have manual cars.. I don’t know if I was the issue being female or if the guy was having a bad day / or is just an a$$hole to everyone but I was taken aback by how rude this guy was. I get it - we’re all under pressure at work but this was another level of rudeness(!)