New EV charging network in B.C. aims to reduce range anxiety

Image from a news conference announcing a new electric vehicle charging network in B.C.

A new electric vehicle charging network around the province is hoping to quash fears of range anxiety among those considering making the switch to an EV.

The B.C. government unveiled a plan to more than triple the amount of BC Hydro’s public charging ports by 2035 on Tuesday.

BC Hydro’s public fast-charging network currently includes 917 charging ports, out of the total 8,900 ports across the province. The $700-million expansion will add an additional 3,500 ports over the next decade.

The new charging ports will be spread out across 190 locations around the province, along major highways and in high-demand urban areas.

The network expansion will focus on increasing convenience for customers, with amenities such as washrooms included at strategic locations.

There is also a plan for faster charging technology, with 400-kilowatt ultra-fast chargers to be introduced at busier hubs.

Plug-and-charge capability and tap-to-pay functionality are also being highlighted as new features.

“Drivers will benefit from an improved charging experience. We are going to have larger charging hubs to reduce wait times, faster charging technology and standardized site designs,” said Adrian Dix, minister of energy and climate solutions, in a news conference Tuesday.

The province will also invest $18 million to expand the charging network through the CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program. This would focus on Indigenous, rural and northern communities, as well as busy areas where drivers face long wait times.

The province says there are nearly 240,000 electric vehicles on the road in British Columbia today, up from 3,000 in 2015.

“British Columbians are adopting electric vehicles at one of the fastest rates in North America, and we’re building the charging network needed to support that growth,” said Charlotte Mitha, president and CEO of BC Hydro in a news release Tuesday.

Dix believes the savings, which he estimates to be about $2,600 and $3,400 a year for the average driver, are going to push more people to adopt the technology.

“As prices fall for new EVs and as the used EV market becomes more robust, this is going to be more and more accessible to people.”

According to Transport Canada, Canadians claimed more than $122 million in federal subsidies for new electric vehicles since Ottawa reintroduced its rebate program in February.

Ottawa set a target of putting 840,000 new EVs on the road by offering up to $5,000 toward the cost of a new EV that costs less than $50,000, and $2,500 toward plug-in hybrids.

With files from The Canadian Press