Leitrim ranks as one of Ireland’s least EV-friendly counties, according to a new study

Leitrim ranks as the least EV-friendly county in Ireland once again, with just 55 registered electric vehicles, two chargers and one dealership across the county, according to a new report from Chill Insurance.

Longford (92 EVs, six chargers, three dealerships) and Clare (418 EVs, 12 chargers, nine dealerships) also ranked near the bottom.

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The county registered only 22 electric vehicles by April of this year, accounting for less than 10% of the 264 vehicles registered in total during that period.

These figures contrast with the national trend highlighted in the report, which showed a 29% increase in EV registrations across the country compared to the same period last year.

Like many other rural areas, Leitrim has lagged behind in EV uptake due to a lack of charging infrastructure. The county was also ranked the worst in Ireland for EV charging points in 2022, according to a Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) report.

While most new electric cars now have batteries capable of lasting hundreds of kilometres, the high cost of purchasing new vehicles and installing home chargers — along with ongoing “range anxiety” — remain barriers for those in Leitrim considering a switch to electric.

At the opposite end of the scale, Westmeath has been named Ireland’s best county for electric vehicle drivers, while Leitrim sits firmly at the bottom of the table, according to the new research from Chill Insurance.

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The study examined EV registrations, public charging points and dealership availability across every county, adjusted per 10,000 residents. It also analysed insurance costs to identify which models are the most affordable to cover.

Westmeath topped the rankings with 430 registered EVs, supported by 21 public chargers and 26 dealerships — the equivalent of 44.9 EVs, 2.2 chargers and 2.7 dealerships per 10,000 residents. This makes it Ireland’s most balanced county for electric vehicle infrastructure.

Carlow and Waterford followed closely behind, both showing strong infrastructure relative to their population size. Dublin, despite having by far the highest number of registered EVs (over 10,800) and 122 dealerships, ranked only fifth due to its larger population diluting those figures.

Chill Insurance’s data also revealed that the Hyundai Ioniq EV Premium is Ireland’s cheapest electric car to insure, costing an average of €488 annually. The Nissan Leaf range also performed strongly, with premiums between €489 and €500 depending on the model.

At the other end of the scale, Tesla vehicles remain the most expensive to insure, averaging between €753 and €791 per year — a difference of more than €300 compared to the most affordable models.