Ireland is to install its first electric car charge locations by Easter. There are plans to install 1.500 electric charge locations by the end of 2011. The cost of installing the charging points will be $27million.

The three charging points will be located in Dublin City, one will be outside the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) headquarters, the second will be put outside the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the third will be located outside the Irish Development Agency on Wilton Place.

The charge points will be initially installed along major routes and built up urban areas. There will be thirty DC fast charging points installed on Ireland's motorways. The DC points can fully recharge a car in 30 minutes.

The project was spearheaded by the Government, ESB, Nissan and Renault. The directive wants 10% of all vehicles in Ireland to be fully electric by 2020. It is estimated a total of 30,000 chargers will be needed to cater for an estimated 230,000 electric vehicles.

ESB's head of network sustainability, Senan McGrath said, "What is going on in Ireland is at least as advanced as what is going on elsewhere."  

Nissan will release a conventional electric model by the end of this year, while Renault will release the Renault Fluence in 2011. The cars will have a top speed of 100km/h and a range of 160km. The cars are specifically aimed at urban commuters.

It is hoped that 4,000 cars will be on the road by the end of 2011.