— New ehubs to launch in Galway, Dublin, Letterkenny and Waterford.
Four new “eMobility eHubs”, to promote shared electric vehicle use, are to be rolled out around Ireland will be the country’s first bicycle sharing to use in-ground electric bicycle charging.
The first of these hubs is being launched today (Friday) at the Westside Library Car Park in Galway, H91 Y067. The location was chosen because it is a decarbonisation zone in Galway City.
The eHub sites will include an ESB charge station with one e-cargo bicycle, four electric bicycles, and two shared EVs provided by Enterprise Car Club.
The bicycles will be the first operation in Ireland to use inductive charging via their kickstand using a Dutch product called Tiler Charge. The chargers work like wireless phone chargers with kickstand acting as the charging point.
The hubs are aimed at both providing alternative solutons, such as a access to an e-cargo bike or electric car, and also to offer another way for people to try electric bicycles before they buy one. Researchers also see the hubs as “testbeds” to look at the effectiveness of hubs.
The hubs are being delivered in a partnership between Trinity College Dublin, Atlantic Technological University (ATU), ESB and Enterprise Car Club. Funding is bring provided by Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland under the SEAI Research, Development & Demonstration Funding Programme 2022.
Four “eHubs” will offer a mix of ebikes, ecargo bikes and electric vehicles and these are located in Galway City (as above), Waterford City, Letterkenny, and Dundrum Village in Dublin. These will use Enterprise Car Club and ESB ebikes, operated by Moby Bikes.
Following the opening of the Galway hub today, three ESB hubs will be provided at Malahide, Swords, and Sandyford Business Park in April but these will only provide a selection of electric cars from a range of car sharing companies including GoCar, Driveyou and YUKÕ Toyota Car Club.
The Waterford City, Letterkenny, and Dundrum Village hubs, with bicycles, are then expected to be provided before Summer 2025.
The ebikes can be used via the ESB eHub app on Android and iPhone.
The bicycles will require a minimum wallet top-up of €10 to begin using the ebikes and e-cargo bicycle service. The bikes will use a €1 unlock fee with the first minute free, and after that, the e-bikes rentable for €0.25 per minute and the cargo bicycle for €5 per hour. Both have daily caps of a maximum of €60 per day.
Enterprise Car Club is currently offering a complimentary one-year membership which is usually €40 and also giving away €10 driving credit for new members via enterprisecarclub.ie/ESBHub.
Prof Brian Caulfield, project lead from Trinity’s School of Engineering, said: “This new hub in Galway is one of the first of its kind in Ireland and the first of four to be launched by our project, with others coming in Letterkenny, Waterford and Dublin later in the year.”
He added: “Our research will examine how these hubs can offer an alternative to private car ownership at each of our four testbeds, and we will also measure the emissions, cost and time savings from using these shared mobility options at each of the hubs.”
Donal Phelan, head of innovation at the ESB Group, said: “We continuously strive to explore the potential of new technology to achieve ESB’s Net Zero by 2040 goal through three key objectives: decarbonising energy, building resilient infrastructure and empowering customers to live more sustainably.”
He added: “Our commitment to sustainability and innovation is at the heart of this eMobility Hub pilot. Working with key partners to deliver this pilot ensures that we are collectively working towards a cleaner, greener, and more connected urban future.”
Mr Leonard Cleary, chief executive of Galway City Council, said: “This project marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing efforts to address climate change and improve the quality of life for everyone in Galway. The electric mobility hub is not only a first for our city but a vital part of our strategy to reduce emissions and promote sustainable mobility solutions as we work toward Ireland’s ambitious climate goals.”
“There may be families or individuals in the city managing the cost of traditional car ownership or considering purchasing a second car – this pilot gives people a chance to try an e-bike, an e-cargo bike and an electric car to see how these options could play a part in their transport needs – along with the op6ons of public transport and walking – before committing to a purchase,” he said.
He added: “Galway City Council and the people it serves continue to be a leader in Climate Action, and this project re-affirms its commitment to positive change and achieving its 2030 Climate Action goals.”
Dr Amaya Vega, project partner at ATU School of Business, said: “This hub represents a new step towards sustainable mobility in our region, and we are delighted to be the academic partners, expanding our research capacity in transport, and providing valuable insights into travel behaviour, transport efficiency, and the impact of policy interventions.”
Kerrie Sheehan, head of research, innovation, and electricity at the SEAI, said: “Ireland is one of Europe’s most fossil fuel-dependent countries in terms of our energy needs. A key measure to move away from this overreliance is to reduce unnecessary car journeys and make shared sustainable alternatives more widely available.”
Sheehan added: “The provision of electric mobility hubs will assist a switch to sustainable energy options in transport. Knowledge and data from the project will be shared with a wide range of stakeholders involved in future decision-making for clean energy in transport.”
Brendan Grieve, general manager of Enterprise Mobility Ireland, said: “We are delighted to be part of the roll-out of the mobility hub in Galway and additional hubs across the country in the coming months.”
He added: “We are excited to support this project which will provide additional mobility solutions for residents and visitors and allow people to try different types of mobility options that they might not normally have considered or had access to.”