Back up at Ottawa Tesla supercharger has drivers wanting more charging stations

Drivers charging their Tesla in Ottawa’s west-end on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 (Katelyn Wilson/ CTV News).

Long waits at Ottawa’s west-end Tesla supercharger has some pointing to the need for more charging stations across the city.

Drivers told CTV News on Friday that they waited up to two hours with five out of the eight supercharger stations out of service.

The majority are working again, but one Tesla driver says it’s created a continuing backlog through the weekend.

"Since then, there have been these crazy lines," said Annabelle Drake.

"I was checking the app at almost 1 a.m. and it was still saying it was full and there was a lineup."

President of Ottawa’s Electric Vehicle Council Raymond Leury says Tesla chargers are typically reliable, but the cold weather can get in the way.

"If you get a bit of snow in the plug, it will not work or when you try to plug it in, the snow will keep it from connecting properly, so that’s probably the biggest factor," Leury said.

With the federal government phasing out gas-powered trucks and cars by 2035, there are questions as to whether there is enough EV infrastructure for drivers.

"There are people in the Glebe in particular where people don’t have a parking spot," said Leury. "So these public charging stations are going to be key for them to be able to drive electric."

Starting next year, car manufacturers are transitioning to a standard connector which will allow other electric vehicles to use Tesla superchargers, adding to the need for more charging access.

According to the City of Ottawa's website, there are more than 200 charging stations across the city.

So far, only two of stations are Tesla superchargers, located at Moodie and Robertson roads and the Rideau Centre.

"You have to pay to park there and then there are little ones in different places, but we need at least one more full charging station in Ottawa," Drake said.

CTV News reached out to Tesla, but did not respond to a request for comment.