Empowering a sustainable future GoPlugable to ‘charge up’ EV adoption

GoPlugable is a new start-up that aims to address one of the primary obstacles to electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Ireland – the lack of access to charging facilities. The concept is quite simple and involves EV owners taking advantage of privately-owned chargers in their areas with the homeowners earning money by sharing access.

CEO Maebh Reynolds – who has just completed a degree in mechanical engineering from Queens University, Belfast – explains. “Powered by a community-driven app, GoPlugable allows EV drivers who own a home charger to share access with other EV drivers who may not otherwise have easy access to charging points.

“It is empowering a sustainable future by revolutionising the EV charging experience through our innovative peer-to-peer network. This makes electric vehicle charging accessible, convenient and communityoriented for everyone, everywhere. As a group, Irish EV owners and drivers are very tight-knit and collaborative because of the additional research they do when purchasing their cars. GoPlugable is designed to tap in to this spirit of collaboration and sharing.”

Highlighting the impressive level of research, innovation and attention given to its software and hardware integration, Maebh was recently named the winner at the Queen’s University Belfast Dragon’s Den Awards, and received a £10,000 prize which was reinvested into the continued development of GoPlugable. She is one of the first engineering graduates to clinch this prize.

GoPlugable has already secured a Local Enterprise Feasibility Grant and is also included in phase two of Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers programme based out of DKIT, Dundalk.

In the North, GoPlugable has been included in Catalyst’s Co-Founders programme and was a semi-finalist in their annual Invent competition. On an international stage, it has been named among the top four shortlisted start-ups selected in the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Region I Start-Up Challenge with the winner to be chosen at a face-to-face meeting in October 2023.

Maebh assumed full-time duties as CEO of GoPlugable following her graduation this summer. A phased roll-out of the service is now underway across the island of Ireland, the short-term aim being to grow the community to 1,000 by this coming Autumn. Her sights are also set on the UK and further afield.

Commenting on the brand’s early success Maebh said: “We have been overwhelmed and reaffirmed by the positive reaction to GoPlugable through the various programmes with which we have engaged over recent months. As the project evolves, we will continue to build important partnerships with EV drivers and owners, stakeholders in the renewables sector, prospective funders and investors.”

For more information visit www.goplugable.com