Latest news with #publiccharging
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
EV Q&A: Why doesn't Ireland use roadside furniture for charging electric vehicles?
Q: I live in a terraced house, so we can't have a charging point . However, there are several public lighting stands around my home that could be used as electric vehicle (EV) chargers without posing hazards to either traffic or pedestrians. Why has no one thought to do this, to attach chargers? I've seen loads of them on side streets near where my son lives in London. – Tom H, Co Cork A: Tom, you are speaking my language here. I too live in a terraced house, and I too cannot have a home charging point – for a whole variety of reasons from the position of the meter box in my house to the fact that I've been told I can neither run a cable-cover across the pavement nor have a swing-out arm to run the cable up and over. Besides, it's free parking on my street and everyone and their dog parks right in front of my place, so I inevitably have to park far, far away. Right, personal whinging done with, it's important to remember that this is – and will be a – significant factor for electric vehicle uptake in the years to come. According to data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) about 42 per cent of Irish houses are of a full-detached design, while another 3.3 per cent are semidetached (these figures are from 2017, but they're the most recent ones we have). READ MORE It's fairly safe to assume that a fully-detached house will have a driveway or at least some space around it where a charging point can be fitted and a car can be pulled up. With semidetached houses, that certainty falls a touch, but let's say there's a statistically reasonable guess that around 44 per cent of Irish houses have a driveway. [ EV Q&A: Should I buy an out-of-warranty, used electric car? Opens in new window ] Electricity supply and internal wiring allowing, all of these people can to get a home charging point and have their shiny new (or approved used) EV ready to rock with a full battery every morning. However, the mathematically astute among you will have noticed that leaves a probable 66 per cent of Irish houses which either may not or just flat out don't have any off-street parking. There will also be an enormous urban-rural divide. Where I live, for example, the vast majority of the houses on the streets around me have no driveway and only access to on-street parking. With predictable helpfulness, the nearest on-street EV charging point is a 30-minute walk. Not so horrible on a nice summer's evening; much less agreeable on a November night. Even if I were always prepared to make the schlep to the charger and back, the 10-hour maximum charging time, before 'overstay' fees kick in, would mean that assuming I connected the car at 6pm and walked home for my dinner, I'd have to return at 4am to collect my car before being penalised. Never forget: the very fact that overstay fees exist is a tacit admission that the public charging network is not fit for purpose. But I'm drifting slightly from the point. There are a small handful of lamp-post chargers in Ireland, mostly found in the Dublin suburbs of Dún Laoghaire and Malahide. They were installed on a trial basis by Ubitricity and others, but the trial has long since ended and some of the charging points have now been removed. Why? Well, a predictable lack of focus and energy on the part of local authorities I'm afraid, although there are potential issues with lamp-post and other kerbside chargers. We've previously asked Zero Emissions Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) about this, and their response was: 'In other countries existing lamp-posts have been retrofitted with EV Charge Points with the meter for measuring electricity fitted to the charging Cable (ie external to the lamp-post). This allows for the existing lamp-post – where suitably located – to have a charge point installed using spare capacity within the post; usually 2kW to 3KW. [ EV Q&A: Why do electric cars still have old-fashioned 12-volt batteries? Opens in new window ] 'In Ireland this solution is not currently viable given the requirement from ESB to have an in-built meter and a separation from ESB and charge point infrastructure. This requires a bespoke lamp-post to be installed with enough space to include an ESB meter. 'The ESB is considering a bespoke lamp-post solution and are looking at potential pilots for this solution. However, it should be noted that this solution will most likely add significant costs over retrofitting of existing lamp-posts and the use case for this solution will only be considered following the review of any pilot. 'It should also be noted that any lamp-post solution would only be considered where the lamp-post is positioned at the front of the footpath and any lamp-post positioned at the rear would not be suitable for health and safety purposes, with cable not being permitted across footpaths.' There are some issues with this response, not least that recent research shows that most lamp-posts have sufficient spare energy capacity to deliver around 5kW of power to a charger, which isn't too shabby at all. Equally, installers with whom we've spoken say that the tech is versatile enough that a charging point can be fitted to almost any piece of roadside furniture – bollards, for example. There are also mixed messages from Government about this. While ZEVI seems to largely rule out lamp-post chargers, a Department of Transport paper in 2023 called for a 'world class' EV charging network to be up and running by 2025, with then-Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, specifically saying: 'There is need for a seamless public charging network that will provide for situations or instances where home charging is not possible, such as on-street and residential charging, destination charging and workplace charging.' Once again, those among you with a head for figures will have noticed that it is now 2025, and we most certainly do not have a 'world-class' charging set-up. Perhaps, as is so often the case, we need to look to Scandinavia. The Swedes have already introduced legislation that demands a minimum number of charging points per number of parking spaces offered by businesses or other properties. Meanwhile, in some suburbs of Stockholm, pencil-thin kerbside EV chargers are so numerous up and down some streets that they don't even bother marking out 'EV Only' parking spaces. Alas, such urgency and forward thinking seems to be, as ever, rather lacking here at home. Which means Tom and I are going to have to keep charging at the nearest fast-charger, more than doubling the cost of running an EV, until some more on-street electric car chargers are rolled out.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mistakes To Avoid When Installing An EV Charging Station In Your Garage
Electric vehicle sales have experienced years of robust growth, and this trend is expected to continue. According to the International Energy Agency, electric vehicle sales increased by more than 40% in 2023 compared to 2022 in the United States. And if you're an electric vehicle owner, a home EV charging station is essential. Now, although charging your vehicle at home offers several benefits, there are some mistakes you must avoid when you install a home EV charging station in your garage. The mistakes include amateur installations, forgetting to access your home's electrical system, and buying the wrong type of charger. While the cost of installing an EV charger in your home can be a bit pricey, that amount will likely increase if you have any of these issues. Ensuring that you avoid them will allow you to enjoy the benefits of your home charging station. For many electric vehicle owners, the convenience of having a charging station at home for their electric vehicle is a major advantage. The ability to charge the car while cooking dinner and relaxing in the evening saves time and money. In addition, it is better for your car's battery. The fast chargers found in public charging stations can degrade your battery and shorten its life when used too frequently. A home EV charger allows you to minimize the use of these public charging stations. Read more: The Best Ways To Heat Your Garage Without An Electric Space Heater Choosing the wrong type of EV charging station for your vehicle and your charging needs is a common mistake. The most frequently used home EV chargers are Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations. The Level 1 charger usually comes with your vehicle and plugs into a typical 110V outlet. However, these chargers are extremely slow, taking as long as 24 hours to fully charge the vehicle. Level 2 chargers are faster but require a dedicated 220V circuit. Neglecting to evaluate your home electrical system is another common mistake people make when installing an EV charger. Before buying an electric car, update your garage and home to ensure your electrical infrastructure has the capacity needed to handle the power demand of an EV charger. Older homes were designed when homes had less demand for electricity, so an upgrade may be needed. A potentially dangerous mistake is not hiring a professional for your EV charging station installation. This is particularly true when you need an electrical service upgrade. A licensed electrician has the training and knowledge of electrical systems, EV charger installation, and local building and electrical codes to handle all aspects of the job, from evaluating the electrical infrastructure to installing the EV charger. The best way to avoid mistakes when you install an EV charging station in the garage is to work with an experienced, trained professional electrician. A licensed contractor certified in electric vehicle infrastructure installation will ensure that your charging station is properly installed and in compliance with all current electrical codes and regulations. Another way you can avoid costly mistakes when installing an EV charging station is to think ahead and plan for the future. Buying a charger that works with a specific vehicle brand may not meet your long-term needs. Selecting a charger with universal compatibility ensures that it will work with any other type of electric vehicle you may buy in the future. Taking the time to research your options and having your electrical system evaluated by a professional will also help you get informed on the total cost of EV charger installation. When you consider how much it costs to charge an electric car at a public charging station, you will find that installing an EV charger at home is worth the investment in the long run. Enjoyed this article? Get expert home tips, DIY guides, and design inspiration by signing up to the House Digest newsletter! Read the original article on House Digest.
Forbes
30-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
TSA Warns iPhone And Android Users—You Need This At Airport
New airport warning for smartphone users There is no subject that's more contentious in cyber security circles than so-called juice jacking. It generates fresh headlines most years, when one government agency or another issues a new alert ahead of the holidays. Stories are written and cyber eyebrows are raised — there are more stories than attacks. But still those stories come. But now a new warning suggests there may be a risk for travelers after all. Juice jacking theoretically strikes when you plug your phone into a public charging cable or socket at an airport or hotel, and instead of it being a dumb charger, it's a computer behind the scenes extracting data from your device. This is very different to dangerously crafted attack cables that include a malicious payload in the cable itself. The latest government warning (and headlines 1,2) come courtesy of TSA. 'When you're at an airport, do not plug your phone directly into a USB port,' it says. 'Bring your TSA-compliant power brick or battery pack and plug in there.' This is because 'hackers can install malware at USB ports (we've been told that's called 'juice/port jacking').' TSA also warns smartphone users 'don't use free public WiFi, especially if you're planning to make any online purchases. Do not ever enter any sensitive info while using unsecure WiFi.' This public Wi-Fi hijacking threat is almost as contentious as juice-jacking amongst cyber experts. TL;DR, while it comprises your location, any encrypted data flowing to or from your device from websites or apps should be safe. Your bigger risk is downloading an app from the malicious access point's splash page, filling in online forms, or being redirected to fraudulent login pages for Microsoft, Google or other accounts. The usual advice applies — use passkeys, don't log in to linked or popup windows but use usual channels, and don't give away personal information. You should also be wary of which Wi-Fi hotspots you connect to — are they the real service from the hotel or airport or mall you're in, or cleverly named fakes. As for juice jacking, there is now a nasty new twist to the existing narrative, which while theoretical for now, could fuel attacks that actually work. A new research paper has introduced 'a novel family of USB-based attacks' called ChoiceJacking, which the researchers say, 'is the first to bypass existing Juice Jacking mitigations. The Austrian research team "observed that these mitigations assume that an attacker cannot inject input events while establishing a data connection. However, we show that this assumption does not hold in practice. We present a platform-agnostic attack principle and three concrete attack techniques for Android and iOS that allow a malicious charger to autonomously spoof user input to enable its own data connection.' This is more an issue for Android than iOS, but it's not something for most users to worry about. That said, if you think you might be the target for attacks or if you travel to higher risk parts of the world, I would strongly recommend not using public charging points without some form of data shield or public WiFi without a VPN. You should also be wary of unlocking your device when it's plugged into anything you don't own and control. Interestingly, Google and Samsung have both been better defending devices against USB data extraction, albeit this masks itself as an accessory. There are also new updates for both iOS and Android to reboot devices locked for more than 3 days, which also protects against physical cable attacks. On ChoiceJacking, Kaspersky says 'both Apple and Google blocked these attack methods in iOS/iPadOS 18.4, and Android 15," but "unfortunately, on Android, the OS version alone doesn't guarantee your smartphone's safety… That's why Android users who have updated to Android 15 are advised to connect their smartphone to a known safe computer via a cable and check whether a password or biometric confirmation is required. If not — avoid public charging stations.'
Auto Blog
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
The Hidden Dangers of Public EV Charging Stations
The Silent Threat Behind Every Plug-In Your $60,000 Tesla becomes a useless paperweight in less time than it takes to finish your coffee, and you unknowingly invited the attack by plugging into a public charger. Most people don't know this, but modern EV charging stations represent the perfect vehicle for global cyber warfare with you as the unwitting pawn—silent, trusted, and connected directly to both your automobile and critical power infrastructure. Security researchers recently demonstrated how quickly these systems fall: injecting malware through a compromised charger bricked a Tesla Model Y in just 14 minutes. This attack required no advanced hacking techniques, just exploitation of fundamentally flawed charging protocols and authentication systems. Bigger Than One Car: A National Security Threat What makes this threat uniquely dangerous isn't just the risk to individual vehicles. These charging stations form critical nodes connecting cars to power grids, creating cascading vulnerability. Experts estimate control over merely 3-4 gigawatts of energy—achievable by compromising a small percentage of charging points—could destabilise entire regional power networks. Your charging cable isn't merely refilling batteries; it potentially offers outside actors control over critical transportation and energy systems simultaneously. Interestingly, the exploitation of 'you' is the same as privacy activitists complain about with EV makers like Tesla and BYD; they suck up everything they can about you from your very own car. Same for the charger, with one undocumented extra. The Component Question The technical vulnerability stems from a startling discovery: unauthorised cellular radios and communication equipment hidden inside charging hardware. US energy authorities found these undocumented components in Chinese-made inverters during hardware teardowns, components specifically designed to bypass security measures. Despite a resultant 2025 ban on Huawei inverters, they still comprise a stunning 41% of American charging infrastructure, creating what one security researcher called 'a built-in way to physically destroy the grid.' And an outrageous 58% prevalence in Australia! Now, utility companies typically implement firewalls to block unauthorised communication, but these precautions mean nothing when the charging devices themselves contain hidden backdoors. The technical term (read: euphemism) 'rogue communication devices' obscures a simple truth: these are surveillance tools deliberately hidden within automotive infrastructure. The makers purposely don't document these. Why? A compromised EV becomes an unwitting foot soldier in a silent infrastructure war. Witness the 2022 hack of Russian EV chargers to display 'Slava Ukraine'. It is not only countries that can hack; your personal and grid data can go to anyone. The Shell Game of Responsibility Who bears responsibility? Manufacturers embedding these devices? Regulators failing to enforce bans? Charging networks continuing to use compromised equipment? Or consumers prioritising convenience over security? This question reveals how accountability bounces between parties without landing anywhere; which is why we still have the issue. The charging station you connected to yesterday wasn't simply providing electrons for your battery. It potentially created vulnerability in critical infrastructure, transmitted your driving patterns abroad, and perpetuated reliance on inverters containing undocumented cellular radios from banned suppliers, sanctions-breakers, human right abusers, component counterfeiters, and more. When you plug in your vehicle, you're not just charging—you're engaging with an uncertain power structure that transcends mere transportation. Your automotive freedom comes with hidden strings attached, strings that pull far beyond your garage. We need to do a little more than ignore this. Read the full article here: EV Charging's Dirty Little Secret
Times
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Times
Can't charge an electric car at home? Then petrol may be cheaper
A journey made by electric car could end up ten times more expensive for drivers who can't use an at-home charger. And for those people who live in a flat or a house with no driveway to install a charger, the high cost of public charging points could mean it is cheaper to stick with a petrol or diesel car, rather than switch to an electric vehicle (EV). According to analysis by the energy consultant BFY Group, the 110-mile round trip from London to Brighton would cost you £2.64 if you could charge at home, but £26.40 if you used a rapid charger found at motorway services or in hotel car parks. It would be £17.33 if you had to rely on public charging on
