Cork City Council leads the EV fleet charge while others lag behind

The Geotab research also shows that only five out of the 27 local authorities that were surveyed have electrified more than 8pc of their fleets.

In the Republic of Ireland, Cork City Council has electrified the largest proportion of its transport fleet to data, while Fingal County Council holds the most number of electric vehicles (EVs) in its fleet in the country, according to a survey released today (25 October) by Canadian-headquartered fleet telematics company Geotab.

Research conducted by Geotab also shows that only five out of the 27 local authorities that were surveyed in Ireland have electrified more than 8pc of their fleets. Limerick City and County Council, Longford County Council and Sligo County Council reportedly have no EVs in their fleet.

However, the company said that a number of councils informed them that they have placed orders for EVs and are planning upgrades.

Data collected by Geotab shows that Cork City Council has electrified 28pc of its fleet of 280 vehicles with 77 EVs, closely followed by Fingal County Council, which has electrified 24pc of its fleet, with 87 EVs out of a fleet of 357. Galway City Council has also electrified 24pc of its fleet, with 20 EVs out of a fleet of 83 vehicles, while Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council contains 33 EVs out of a fleet of 335 (10pc) and Dublin City Council contains 70 EVs out of a fleet of 880 (8pc).

Even though transport accounted for 21pc of local authority energy usage and 26pc of all emissions in 2020, it has only accounted for 4pc of energy efficiency projects to date, said Geotab.

The Public Sector Climate Action Mandate requires “relevant” bodies to adopt zero-emission vehicles and “does not apply to local authorities” across Ireland, which Geotab said is a “major influence holding back adoption” of EVs.

According to the mandate, it applies to all bodies covered by decarbonisation targets, except for local authorities, commercial semi-state bodies, and the school sector.

However, on the plus side, 16 councils told Geotab that at least 60pc of their fleet had telematics capabilities embedded that allows users to analyse data to optimise driving routes and improve driving practices to reduce emissions.

“Despite transport being a key factor in reducing emissions in Ireland, the majority of local authorities across the country are failing to lead the way in the adoption of electric vehicles,” said Phil Barnes, Geotab business development manager for the UK and Ireland.

“While EV investment is lacking by many local authorities, there are other positives to be drawn from our study with widespread adoption of telematics, which has the potential to help councils reduce their carbon footprint.

“Given the price of petrol and diesel, more fleet owners are becoming more focused on reducing fuel consumption by making strategic decisions like more efficient route planning and eliminating bad practices like idling.

“Cork City Council and Fingal County Council are showing what’s possible, with clear lessons that other local authorities can draw from,” Barnes said.

Last year, Central Statistics Office figures showed that there had been a 52pc increase in the number of new electric cars licensed in Ireland in the first nine months of 2023.

Earlier this year, an EY report showed that growth in demand for EVs slowed down due to a lack in charging infrastructure and high costs of battery replacements. However, the report also stated that the percentage of people planning to buy an EV has risen from 55pc to 58pc since 2023.

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