Price hikes for public EV charging, exploding tumble dryers and Trump’s new ‘do what you want’ AI reforms

·28 min·2 clips

Public EV charging costs are set to exceed €50 per charge, surpassing petrol prices after a 15% hike.

This episode of The Big Tech Show, hosted by Adrian Weckler with guest JJ Clarke, examines recent tech and policy developments affecting consumers. The discussion centers on significant price increases for public electric vehicle charging in Ireland, a product safety warning for certain tumble dryers, and new U.S. AI policy under Donald Trump. Adrian Weckler is the technology editor for the Irish Independent, providing analysis on these topical issues. The ESB e-cars network, Ireland's largest public EV charging provider, is implementing a price hike of 12-15% across its tariffs. For a popular model like the Volkswagen ID.4, a full charge on this network could now cost over €50. The ESB cites increased operational costs and electricity network charges as reasons, with a further 4-5% rise expected in October due to a VAT rate change. The hosts note that Ireland has only a few hundred "real world" chargers capable of delivering a meaningful charge in under ten minutes. They describe chaotic scenes at busy charging locations like Cashel, where queues can last 30-40 minutes. ComReg, Ireland's telecoms regulator, issued a warning for specific Hoover, Candy, and Haier heat pump tumble dryers, stating they pose a fire risk and should be stopped from use immediately. In the U.S., a new AI policy framework credited to figures like David Sacks and Michael Kratsios removes environmental and planning restrictions for AI data centers. The policy also reduces regulations in healthcare, finance, and workplace AI, framed as necessary to win a technological race with China. Finally, Coimisiún na Meán, the Irish media regulator, has given X a deadline to explain its lack of age verification measures to prevent children from accessing pornography on the platform. A key insight is that the EV charging price increases disproportionately affect apartment and terraced house dwellers without home chargers, making Ireland a "much more unfriendly country to have an electric car." The hosts argue there is little incentive to install more fast chargers, creating a captive market for the dominant ESB. They contrast Ireland's infrastructure with Scandinavia and the Netherlands, where EV adoption is higher. On AI, the analysis suggests the U.S. deregulation could pressure Europe to loosen its own rules to compete for industry and jobs, framing a potential trade-off between ethics and economic growth. The episode reveals that many Irish policymakers and politicians drive hybrid vehicles rather than full electric cars, which the host characterizes as a lack of full commitment. The discussion on X notes this is a rare instance where the platform responded to press inquiries, and the regulator's strong statement suggests potential enforcement action. The host speculates that X, which hosts pornography, is "low-hanging fruit" for the regulator compared to other social media platforms. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending news reporting with opinionated commentary from the host's perspective as an EV owner and tech journalist. The style is informal, with direct address to the listener and anecdotal examples illustrating broader points about technology policy and consumer experience. This episode would appeal to Irish listeners interested in the practical costs and infrastructure of electric vehicles, as well as those following the intersection of technology, regulation, and politics. Listeners curious about U.S. AI policy's global implications might also find it valuable. Those without an interest in Irish-specific consumer tech issues or policy debates might choose to skip it.

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