If your first public charge feels a bit daunting, you're in good company — almost everyone feels that way the first time, and it's genuinely simpler than it looks. In short: find an available charger, plug the cable into your car, start it with a tap of your bank card or a charging app, and unplug when you're done. That's the whole thing. Below is a calm, step-by-step walkthrough so you know exactly what to expect.
Before you go: a little setup
You don't need much, but two small bits of preparation make your first charge far less stressful:
- Set up the ESB ecar connect app on your phone and add a payment card. ESB is the biggest network in Ireland, so this covers you almost everywhere. It's free.
- Order one charge card or fob as a backup — the EZO fob is the most useful, because it also works at ESB and Ionity chargers. It arrives by post, so order it a few days ahead. (Our guide to fobs explains why.)
That's it. With those two things, you'll be able to start a charge at almost any public charger you meet.
Step by step: your first charge
1. Find an available charger. Use a charging app to find a charger near you and check it's free (not in use or out of order) before you set off. Public fast chargers are at motorway services, forecourts, and charging hubs; slower ones are in car parks and on streets.
2. Park and check the connector. Pull up so your car's charging socket is near the charger. Fast chargers usually have their cable attached (tethered) — you just lift it off. Slower chargers often need you to use your own cable, which lives in the boot.
3. Plug into your car first. Take the connector and push it firmly into your car's charging socket until it clicks. Don't worry about doing damage — it only fits one way, and a firm push is normal.
4. Start the charge. This is where you "pay." Depending on the charger, you'll either:
- Tap your bank card on the charger's reader (the easiest way, where it's available), or
- Start it from the app on your phone, or
- Tap your charge card / fob on the reader.
The charger screen will tell you it's started — you'll usually see it confirm the charge is underway, and your car will often show a light or a message too.
5. Wait — and you can leave it. You don't have to stand there. A fast charge might take 20–40 minutes; a slower one, a few hours. Grab a coffee. Your car and the app will show how it's going.
6. Stop and unplug. When you've enough charge (most people stop around 80%, as the last bit is slower), end the session — on the screen, in the app, or by tapping your card or fob again. Then unplug from the car and put the cable back tidily for the next person.
That's a complete charge, start to finish.
What does it cost?
Public fast charging runs roughly 45–81c per unit of electricity depending on the network — so a substantial top-up on a journey might be anywhere from €15 to €40. Charging at home is far cheaper (around 6–35c per unit), which is where most drivers do the bulk of their charging. Our cost guide has the full breakdown.
If something goes wrong
Things occasionally don't go smoothly, and that's normal — it's almost never your fault. The most common hiccups and what to do (and for the full rundown — including the sneaky one where your car's scheduled charging makes a session start then stop — see why a charge won't start or keeps stopping):
Your card tap does nothing. Many older and slower chargers — and most of ESB's standard units — don't take a card tap at all. This is why you set up the app and ordered a fob. Use one of those instead. (Our guide on whether credit cards work at ESB chargers explains where the tap does and doesn't work.)
The app won't connect. In underground car parks or low-signal spots, your phone may not reach the app. A charge card or fob works here, because it doesn't need phone signal — another reason to keep one in the car.
The charger won't start or shows an error. Try unplugging and plugging in again, firmly. If it still won't go, the charger may be faulty — move to another one. The charging network's phone number is usually on the unit if you want to report it.
The connector seems stuck when you're done. Make sure the charge has fully stopped first (end it on the screen or in the app), then it should release. In a car, pressing the unlock button sometimes helps release it.
The reassuring summary
For your first charge: set up the ESB app and order one fob beforehand, then at the charger just plug in, start it with a card tap or the app, and unplug when you're done. Keep the app and fob as backups for the chargers where a card tap won't work. After one or two goes, it'll feel as routine as filling up with fuel ever did.
Want more detail on paying at each network? See our complete guide to paying at EV chargers in Ireland, or ask Echo in the EvEcho app — we're always happy to walk you through it.