Northern Ireland is at a pivotal crossroads in the journey toward net zero — and electric vehicles (EVs) are fast becoming a central part of that story. As charging infrastructure expands and adoption accelerates, we face an urgent challenge: building an EV ecosystem that is not only fit for purpose but truly works for everyone, everywhere.
In this piece, Damian Wilson, CEO at Share Energy, discusses the importance of putting people at the heart of Northern Ireland’s EV transition.
At Share Energy, we’re not here to watch from the sidelines. As a challenger brand shaking up Northern Ireland’s energy market, we believe this transition should be smart, fair, and customer-first — because the EV revolution won’t succeed unless people trust it to work in real life.
Laying the groundwork: rural gaps can’t be ignored
The UK’s EV charging infrastructure is accelerating at pace. In early 2025 alone, over 3,100 new charge points were installed, bringing the total to nearly 77,000 — a 29% year-on-year increase, according to Zapmap.
But in Northern Ireland, the story is more complicated.
Since ESB introduced pay-to-charge models in 2023, there has been a 24% rise in charge points and a 63% jump in ultra-rapid chargers. However, it’s still playing catch-up, both in scale and in strategy.
Rapid charging hubs, with multiple 150kW+ bays, are driving progress in key urban areas, but the rural network remains patchy and underdeveloped.
According to the Department for Transport and the Electric Vehicle Association, Northern Ireland has just 35,600 charge points per 100,000 people. Wales, by comparison, has nearly three times more. England and Scotland are even further ahead, with over 110,000 per 100,000 people.
Zoom in, and the disparities are even starker: Belfast leads with 12.9 rapid chargers per 100,000 residents, while Derry City and Strabane lag with just 4.
If people can’t rely on the network, they won’t make the switch. And without demand, investment slows — creating a cycle of stagnation we can’t afford.
NI doesn’t just need more chargers. It needs a smarter, fairer deployment strategy that serves everyone.
What gets measured gets managed
Smart meters are a foundational building block for a thriving EV ecosystem, especially in Northern Ireland, where most EV owners will charge their vehicles at home.
Yet, this is precisely where we continue to fall behind the rest of the UK in its EV transition. Without widespread access to smart meters, local EV drivers are missing out on essential functionality that goes far beyond traditional energy measurement.
Smart meters enable time-of-use (TOU) tariffs, allowing electricity to be cheaper during off-peak hours. EV owners can program their vehicles to charge when rates are lowest—reducing costs, easing pressure on the grid, and promoting more sustainable usage patterns.
Last November marked a welcome step forward, with the launch of public consultations on smart meter rollout across NI. However, it remains early days—and the goal of installing 920,000 meters, as proposed by the Department for the Economy, still feels a long way off.
While Northern Ireland lags behind both Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland in terms of smart meter infrastructure, we are ready for the transition here. At Share Energy, we’ve developed our systems with smart meters in mind, including an app that works alongside them to give customers real-time control and insights into energy consumption.
Smarter, greener, more empowering charging
The hardware is only half the equation. The future of EV charging must also be intelligent — helping people charge when it’s cheapest, greenest, and most convenient. This is where energy providers have a critical role to play.
At Share Energy, we’ve developed an EV tariff designed to reward smart behaviour. Customers are encouraged to charge during off-peak hours, when the grid is greener and the cost is lower — promoting both savings and sustainability.
Our approach reflects what we believe the market needs: innovation with empathy. A local, transparent provider that’s aligned with people’s real-world needs — not just profit margins.
Private investment from Weev, Fastned, and EasyGo is helping move the dial. But to truly build an ecosystem that lasts, infrastructure growth must go hand-in-hand with customer trust, education, and smart incentives.
This is a defining moment for the energy and transport sectors in Northern Ireland. The technology exists. The demand is growing. The public is ready.
Now we need to connect the dots.
At Share Energy, we’re committed to doing our part — not just by powering EVs, but by being a true partner to the people who drive them.
This article appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Energy Manager magazine. Subscribe here.