Finding space for EV charging infrastructure in Ireland’s dense and compact cities, towns, and villages can be a challenge. Street parking is limited and many residents don’t have access to car parks outfitted with direct current (DC) electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers. EasyGo, has teamed up with Ireland’s leading telecommunications company, eir, to find a solution. eir is working with EasyGo to convert hundreds of former telephone booth locations to DC fast charging locations. EasyGo chose Tritium’s 50-75kW all-in-one, modular DC fast chargers to get the job done and serve the needs of drivers.
EasyGo is the largest private car charging network operating in Ireland. It hosts and operates more than 3,000 chargers throughout the country and has more than 35,000 subscribers. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Maynooth, Kildare. EasyGo’s mission is to provide EV drivers with the network they need to make sustainable transport a reality. EasyGo has approximately 30 employees and offices in Belfast and Cork. EasyGo are supported by Rubicon, one of the world’s leading investment banking firms focused solely on the infrastructure, energy, and utilities sectors.
According to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), about 1 out of every 7 cars sold in Ireland in 2022 were fully electric. Ireland needs a network of fast chargers to keep up with growing demand. Additionally, transport accounts for one-third of Ireland’s energy-related CO2 emissions so increasing adoption of EVs is a key aspect in Ireland’s Climate Action Plan.
Ireland’s eir phone booth locations are great for building that network, but they were never meant to have a large footprint. When EasyGo was tasked with converting the spaces into EV charging sites, they needed an all-in-one charger with a compact footprint that could be easily installed in the same space as a typical phone booth. The chargers would also need to provide reliable, fast charging capable of recharging an EV in a matter of minutes to maximize charger usage.
EasyGo chose Tritium’s RTM compact and modular 50-75kW DC fast chargers. Two RTM chargers can easily fit in the space formerly occupied by a single phone booth. The charger is sealed against the elements (IP65 rated), is liquid cooled, and is modular which means it can be easily upgraded, maintained, and serviced. “The RTM is the perfect solution for tight spaces like the former eir phone booth plots,” said Chris Kelly, Founder and Technical Director of EasyGo. “And its modular design lets us configure it based on site power availability—some sites can handle 75kW chargers, others 50kW. The RTM gives us the flexibility to spec the right charger for the location.”
EasyGo ordered more than 200 Tritium RTM chargers to install at sites around Ireland. The chargers will be configured to deliver 50kW or 75kW based on site power availability.
EasyGo and eir launched their new program in May 2022 and installed Tritium chargers at 70 locations in the counties of Offaly, Mayo, Cavan, Waterford, Kilkenny, and Tipperary. EasyGo are actively engaged with other local authorities to identify 120 additional locations across Ireland to install new Tritium DC fast chargers, and this program will be delivered at zero cost to county councils.
“Electric vehicles are a critical part of the Government’s Climate Action Plan which sets out a target of almost one million electric vehicles on the road by 2030,” said eir CEO Oliver Loomes. “We are proud to partner with EasyGo and each of these county councils to assist in the installation of EV charging points across the country. This new infrastructure will benefit the community the way the public payphone service once did. Today, EasyGo and eir are in discussion with county councils across the country, and we hope others will follow this lead. By replacing unused infrastructure with fast EV charging, we are helping to make the transition to electric vehicle ownership a viable alternative for people across Ireland.”
Tritium’s stand-alone RTM75 50kW-75kW DC fast charger is perfect for retail environments or anywhere a compact, all-in-one charger is required.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are often out of reach for people in America’s large cities. Most of those cities lack affordable, convenient public charging sites and charging operators are hesitant to install sites because there aren’t enough EVs. Revel is bringing both to major cities across the U.S. The company’s Superhubs feature convenient public fast chargers and house fleets of EVs for their rideshare service. Superhubs give city dwellers an affordable way to use EVs while allowing Revel to build out much-needed charging infrastructure across major cities. The company opened its first Superhub in the underserved community of Bedford–Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, New York in 2021. The facility features 25 Tritium DC fast chargers for their fleet of Tesla Model Y EVs.
Revel’s mission is to accelerate EV adoption in cities by providing the infrastructure and services that make it easy to go electric. Revel currently operates in New York City and San Francisco and employs over 700 people.
Like any fleet, EV rideshare services need reliable, easy-to-use, and fast charging infrastructure to ensure high fleet availability and uptime. Every minute spent charging is a minute that could be spent serving rideshare customers. EV rideshare services also need chargers that can accommodate any brand and type of EV. Revel currently uses Tesla Model Y EVs for their rideshare service, but the company wanted the flexibility to use any brand of EV in the future. It also needed chargers that are compatible with any customer EV. And because they’re charging a fleet and providing a large-scale public fast charging, Revel understood the importance of reliable DC fast chargers.
Lastly, Revel needed compact chargers to make efficient use of the space available at their Superhub site—the former Pfizer manufacturing facility. The 660,000-square-foot facility was renovated for reuse in 2014 and now supports a thriving commercial business district with shops and restaurants.
When Revel started planning their first Superhub charging station and fleet depot, they reached out to Tritium for their charging needs. Revel chose a 75kW variant of Tritium’s modular and stand-alone fast charger, the award-winning RTM. The RTM has built-in power rectifiers, making installation faster and easier in tight spaces. It also uses modular power modules for improved reliability, serviceability, and upgradability.
“We needed proven, reliable fast chargers that could be installed in small spaces,” said Revel’s Head of Infrastructure Tobias Lescht. “Tritium’s modular technology allows for easy and fast maintenance. The chargers are compact, which is key for us because we operate in an urban environment. Tritium has been a good partner developing technology in lockstep with our business goals.”
Revel installed 25 RTM chargers at its Bedford-Stuyvesant Superhub. Tritium chargers can easily charge Revel’s Model Y EVs using an adapter and EVs that use CCS or CHAdeMO. The chargers are used to power Revel’s own fleet of rideshare vehicles and are available for other EV drivers who need to charge up. EV drivers only pay for power at the Revel Superhub, not parking, making the facility a popular destination for EV drivers across the city.
Since launching their Superhub in June of 2021, Revel has logged more than 68,000 charging hours and 1.8 million kWh supplied on Tritium chargers. As of January 2023, the Brooklyn Superhub has logged 500k rideshare trips.
“The Tritium RTM chargers are a good for our Brooklyn Superhub”, said Tobias Lescht, Revel’s Head of Infrastructure. We really have put them to the test with our high usage.”
Tritium’s stand-alone 75kW RTM fast charger is perfect for retail environments or anywhere a compact, all-in-one charger is required.