Work begins on 10-vehicle electric charging facility in Westmeath

Work has gotten underway this week on SSE's first 'electric vehicle hub' in Ireland, which is expected to open at Lough Sheever Corporate Park in Mullingar during the summer.

When complete, the facility will have 10 ultra-rapid charging bays for electric vehicles.

SSE Energy Solutions said the Westmeath development was part of a €35m investment it was making in ultra-rapid charging hubs, with "at least 30" of these due to be rolled out in Ireland over the next four years.

The site at Lough Sheever Corporate Park is expected to be finished in July and will be designed to accommodate long-wheelbase vehicles and buses, as well as cars and fleet vehicles.

In a statement, the company said all of its planned electric vehicle hubs would be open to the public and would be "powered by green energy from SSE Airtricity".

It is expected that six of the new charging hubs will be operational by the end of 2023, with a further 10 coming online in 2024.

SEE Energy Solutions said each ultra-rapid bay will have charging capabilities of up to 150 kilowatts (kW), sufficient to deliver 12.5 kms of range per minute of charging.