'Free tolls' for electric vehicles?

Zenith74

micks_address wrote: »

Would bmw 330e qualify for 70 percent reduction in tolls?
Thanks,
Mick

No PHEVs get a max of 50% discount. Non-plugin hybrids like the Prius get no discount.

https://eflow.ie/electric-vehicle-toll-inc/

ELM327

Just had confirmation from eflow last night.
I got a reply to my email confirming my Ioniq was included from 1/7

Trying to contact easytrip now, I got an email and a link to a list of cars but no information as to whether they apply it automatically or not.

I think I get 50% as the Rex is classed as plug in lol. anyway 50% is 50% and it won't effect me much anyway but want to get any reduced toll I pass regardless.

ELM327

Deleted User wrote: »

Trying to contact easytrip now, I got an email and a link to a list of cars but no information as to whether they apply it automatically or not.

I think I get 50% as the Rex is classed as plug in lol. anyway 50% is 50% and it won't effect me much anyway but want to get any reduced toll I pass regardless.

Yes it's 75% for BEV on the m50 off peak, 50% on peak.
Then for any cars with both a plug and an exhaust it's 50% and 25%


While the rex should not get the same treatment as a full BEV it's also madness to think that a BEVx that will run probably max 10-15% on ICE will get the same treatment as a tax fudging PHEV like the 330e

Well strangely according to easy trip it's on their system as not being a plug in so full discount will apply.

The Government are such fools, at peak times they give less discount ? they're gobsh1tes, seriously, people buying electric cars are helping the Government to make it appear like they're doing something to reduce emissions, we're being tax raped daily and this is the best they could come up with ?

But I suppose it's better than nothing for those who have to pay the toll twice a day on the M50.

ELM327

Deleted User wrote: »

Well strangely according to easy trip it's on their system as not being a plug in so full discount will apply.

The Government are such fools, at peak times they give less discount ? they're gobsh1tes, seriously, people buying electric cars are helping the Government to make it appear like they're doing something to reduce emissions, we're being tax raped daily and this is the best they could come up with ?

But I suppose it's better than nothing for those who have to pay the toll twice a day on the M50.

I'd keep very quiet about that in that case!


Other companies have confirmed it only applies to cars on the A0 tax bracket, which the I3 rex is not.

Zenith74

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The Government are such fools, at peak times they give less discount ?

In fairness now the government have more than just the one goal of emission reduction to achieve, they also need to reduce traffic on major roads to allow the economy to keep growing, so I don’t think the variable rate is that unreasonable.

they're gobsh1tes, seriously, people buying electric cars are helping the Government to make it appear like they're doing something to reduce emissions, we're being tax raped daily and this is the best they could come up with ?

But I suppose it's better than nothing for those who have to pay the toll twice a day on the M50.

Leaving aside whether you think our tax burden in Ireland is appropriate or not, I personally don’t see the point of reduced tolls, free charging, free parking etc for EVs beyond a bit of good publicity. The number one concern for buyers is range anxiety and the biggest hindrance to adoption of EVs here is the charging network density and secondly the higher upfront cost of buying an EV (Joe Public rarely does a TCO analysis to see the longer-term savings). I’d much prefer they spent this money on rapidly (like 2 months, not 12 month tender process) increasing the charger density at hot spots like Midway, Naas, Cahir etc. And start billing for rapid charging; locals (understandably) using free rapid chargers near to their homes while long distance travelers queue is only exasperating the issues with the low density of available chargers... After that help decrease the window price of EVs by either increasing the subsidy or decreasing VAT or whatever...

goz83

Deleted User wrote: »

Trying to contact easytrip now, I got an email and a link to a list of cars but no information as to whether they apply it automatically or not.

I think I get 50% as the Rex is classed as plug in lol. anyway 50% is 50% and it won't effect me much anyway but want to get any reduced toll I pass regardless.

The info is in a link on the email. They apply it automatically if you are with them.

Here's the discounts

Zenith74

Zenith74 wrote: »

Leaving aside whether you think our tax burden in Ireland is appropriate or not, I personally don’t see the point of reduced tolls, free charging, free parking etc for EVs beyond a bit of good publicity. The number one concern for buyers is range anxiety and the biggest hindrance to adoption of EVs here is the charging network density and secondly the higher upfront cost of buying an EV (Joe Public rarely does a TCO analysis to see the longer-term savings). I’d much prefer they spent this money on rapidly (like 2 months, not 12 month tender process) increasing the charger density at hot spots like Midway, Naas, Cahir etc. And start billing for rapid charging; locals (understandably) using free rapid chargers near to their homes while long distance travelers queue is only exasperating the issues with the low density of available chargers... After that help decrease the window price of EVs by either increasing the subsidy or decreasing VAT or whatever...

You're living in dreamland bud, I think we all gave up on the above a long time ago !

Absolutely, I'd much prefer an investment in chargers but it won't happen, the Government would rather spend a Billion on smart chargers no one needs or wants.

Tolls cost a lot of people a fair amount of money a year in fairness, and free tolls would encourage existing drivers to change to EV. Range and recharging aside, they're important but so too are tool charges which to most 2 car households having a lower range ev may not be that much of an issue.

cros13

Deleted User wrote: »

Trying to contact easytrip now, I got an email and a link to a list of cars but no information as to whether they apply it automatically or not.

I think I get 50% as the Rex is classed as plug in lol. anyway 50% is 50% and it won't effect me much anyway but want to get any reduced toll I pass regardless.

Yeah... easytrip are applying it automatically. They seem to have categorized all i3s as BEVs.... which is not something we should argue with them. After all the i3 REx is an EREV which is a categorically different beast from a short range plug-in hybrid. Revenue intentionally/unintentionally categorises it as a BEV for BiK rules.

maclek

Was going to ask if this applies to a video account but apparently not:



https://www.eflow.ie/electric-vehicle-toll-inc/



A pity but I think this will finally tip me into getting a tag.

catharsis

cros13 wrote: »

Yeah... easytrip are applying it automatically. They seem to have categorized all i3s as BEVs.... which is not something we should argue with them. After all the i3 REx is an EREV which is a categorically different beast from a short range plug-in hybrid. Revenue intentionally/unintentionally categorises it as a BEV for BiK rules.

Is this true? - I asked about an i3 REX and was told it did NOT qualify for the BIK relief.

that shows me the folly of asking BMW instead of Revenue about any of this......

I was wondering because the language in the finance act refers to cars which derive their motive power solely from electricity, which as a series hybrid the i3REx arguably does.....

goz83

catharsis wrote: »

Is this true? - I asked about an i3 REX and was told it did NOT qualify for the BIK relief.

that shows me the folly of asking BMW instead of Revenue about any of this......

I was wondering because the language in the finance act refers to cars which derive their motive power solely from electricity, which as a series hybrid the i3REx arguably does.....

Not arguably....it does derive its motive power from electricity alone. The petrol generator is just like having your own little polluting power station to generate electricity. The tax is rightly higher because it burns fossil fuel, but it should and does qualify for BIK and cheaper tolls alongside full BEVs.

Dglflyer

https://www.rte.ie/eile/brainstorm/2018/0628/973828-why-should-electric-cars-have-all-the-fun/


This article talks about free parking, does this mean I can park in any public car park for free , does anyone have a link for this ?

thx

goz83

Dglflyer wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/eile/brainstorm/2018/0628/973828-why-should-electric-cars-have-all-the-fun/


This article talks about free parking, does this mean I can park in any public car park for free , does anyone have a link for this ?

thx

Depends on the county council. Some allow free EV parking, some don't. Dublin doesn't allow it.

You'd have people parked in valuable parking spots all day, so yeah , paid parking is good in some areas.

ELM327

goz83 wrote: »

Depends on the county council. Some allow free EV parking, some don't. Dublin doesn't allow it.

Some parts of dublin do, some dont.
AFAIR it's DLR and Fingal that do, and DCC that don't.
DCC are anti car anyway so that's not surprising. If it wasnt for their deals with car park companies they would have banned cars a long time ago.

DM1983

goz83 wrote: »

catharsis wrote: »

Is this true? - I asked about an i3 REX and was told it did NOT qualify for the BIK relief.

that shows me the folly of asking BMW instead of Revenue about any of this......

I was wondering because the language in the finance act refers to cars which derive their motive power solely from electricity, which as a series hybrid the i3REx arguably does.....

Not arguably....it does derive its motive power from electricity alone. The petrol generator is just like having your own little polluting power station to generate electricity. The tax is rightly higher because it burns fossil fuel, but it should and does qualify for BIK and cheaper tolls alongside full BEVs.

Its all well and good to point to this technicality in the wording but has anyone actually successfully done this? As in, explicitly ignored revenue's guidance which says that i3 Rex does not qualify? Would be very interested to hear if there are people driving around in an i3 rex and paying 0% BIK. I know a few who would jump on this if possible.

ELM327

Dmangan wrote: »

Its all well and good to point to this technicality in the wording but has anyone actually successfully done this? As in, explicitly ignored revenue's guidance which says that i3 Rex does not qualify? Would be very interested to hear if there are people driving around in an i3 rex and paying 0% BIK. I know a few who would jump on this if possible.

By the letter of the law it is not possible to do so, and I'd expect anyone trying it to be detected fairly quickly.


In other news, took my first half price toll at 05.30 this morning, going through the M3 for €0.70 instead of the usual €1.40.
Wonder if I was the first person to avail of EV reduced tolling??

Zenith74

ELM327 wrote: »

Some parts of dublin do, some dont.
AFAIR it's DLR and Fingal that do, and DCC that don't.

Do you mean while charging, or that there is free parking for EVs in all Council spaces in these areas? I cannot find anything online about it, but am curious as I park in both areas quite a bit.

ELM327

Zenith74 wrote: »

Do you mean while charging, or that there is free parking for EVs in all Council spaces in these areas? I cannot find anything online about it, but am curious as I park in both areas quite a bit.

No, parking and not in a charging bay you always pay, that's the same in all counties in Ireland.


The "free parking while charging" only applies to EVs parked in an EV Charging bay while plugged in.

Patser

That's an annoying little twist, that you must have a tag. I only use M50 once in a blue moon, so no point having a tag with a monthly charge (is there a monthly charge, think that's what I was told). We have an e tag account for those rare trips, but no discount now

Springwell

I think Tolltag.ie have a no fee/topup as you go type option for occasional users?

ELM327

Patser wrote: »

That's an annoying little twist, that you must have a tag. I only use M50 once in a blue moon, so no point having a tag with a monthly charge (is there a monthly charge, think that's what I was told). We have an e tag account for those rare trips, but no discount now

it's like 1 euro per tag. I have it for the convenience.
Even if I never used the m50 I would still have it.

Patser

ELM327 wrote: »

it's like 1 euro per tag. I have it for the convenience.
Even if I never used the m50 I would still have it.

Yep, seen that although it says €1 + vat with eflow. And we do have a video account with them, which is free and gives discounts. Just a bit niggly that the car can be registered, and all details known, for such a video account but in order to avail of cheap EV toll I'd need a tag.

Calahonda52

Dmangan wrote: »

Its all well and good to point to this technicality in the wording but has anyone actually successfully done this? As in, explicitly ignored revenue's guidance which says that i3 Rex does not qualify? Would be very interested to hear if there are people driving around in an i3 rex and paying 0% BIK. I know a few who would jump on this if possible.

Have you a link to this guidance please?

LotharIngum

I went through the M50 toll at 12:05am . I wonder if I got 75% off for delaying myself by dropping into the drive through

liamog

Had an eFlow video account, tags arrived today.
I'm super paranoid that the eUp! won't be automatically picked up, and that they may think the Ioniq is a hybrid.

When we registered the Ioniq with them it was Jan '17 so it wasn't on the system and the eUp! is listed as just an Up.
Is there anyway to tell when you log in, or should I just go through the toll and see what happens?

Silent Running

liamog wrote: »

Had an eFlow video account, tags arrived today.
I'm super paranoid that the eUp! won't be automatically picked up, and that they may think the Ioniq is a hybrid.

When we registered the Ioniq with them it was Jan '17 so it wasn't on the system and the eUp! is listed as just an Up.
Is there anyway to tell when you log in, or should I just go through the toll and see what happens?

I rang them to find out. The call taker said she had to refer the matter to a team dedicated to changing the car to register as full BEV. Might be worth giving them a call.

liamog

Silent Running wrote: »

I rang them to find out. The call taker said she had to refer the matter to a team dedicated to changing the car to register as full BEV. Might be worth giving them a call.

I did that already, yer man spoke about some weird automated process that was less than convincing.