New charging stations open ‘northern gateway’ for electric vehicle travel

An EV charging station is energized at Pinaymootang First Nation in Fairford, Man., in February 2026. The move marked the completion of Free Ride EV's Northern Gateway Project. (Kent Heinrich)

A Manitoba driver is celebrating what he described as a first-of-its-kind journey from just north of Winnipeg to Thompson in a fully electric vehicle—a trip made possible by new charging stations his company helped install across the province. He hopes the growing network will soon make most of the region accessible for EV drivers.

Kent Heinrich said he completed the drive from his home in Stony Mountain to Thompson in a single day last month, even as temperatures dropped to –29 C.

He said the more-than-1,400-kilometre round trip was achievable thanks to charging stations in Warren, Grand Rapids, Wabowden and Thompson, along with a newly opened site at Pinaymootang First Nation in Fairford.

“The final piece of the puzzle was Pinaymootang at Fairford,” Heinrich said. “We couldn’t do the final hookups with Hydro until we had decent weather to manipulate the big wires. There was a warm spell there, mid-February, where we took advantage of the one-degree day and got the wiring finished off.”

“Once it was open that day, that opened the gateway,” he added, noting he spent about seven hours charging his Hyundai IONIQ 6 along the route to Thompson.

“We’re at the early days of this, and we’re much better off to be more cautious and get there safely then try and push the envelope and be in such a hurry.”

Heinrich is the founder of Free Ride EV, an organization that supports and educates First Nations communities on adopting EVs. About two years ago, he launched the “Northern Gateway Project,” an initiative aimed at expanding EV travel across northern Manitoba.

Since then, Free Ride EV has assisted several First Nations with installing EV charging stations, including at Pinaymootang First Nation (Fairford), Misipawistik First Nation (Grand Rapids) and Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Wabowden).

“The ones Free Ride EV puts in are no cost to use,” he said. “We just find the funds where we can and get the installations done.”

The organization has relied on various funding programs, such as Manitoba Motor Dealers Association’s Lead the Charge Program and the Indigenous Clean Energy Charge Up Program.

Heinrich said Free Ride EV is still working on other EV infrastructure projects, with a goal of equipping at least 10 First Nations with DC fast chargers by summer.

“That opens up transit to First Nations and we’re looking at trying to do it all at no cost transit,” Heinrich said. “First comes the charger, then comes the vehicle, because if you can cut transportation costs by 90 per cent—which is what an EV can do—It just makes financial sense for the communities to invest in EVs”

The charging station at Pinaymootang First Nation is powered in part by solar panels on a nearby building and a 200-kilowatt-hour battery system, enabling it to run entirely on solar energy under the right conditions.

‘This isn’t a job, it’s a commitment’

Heinrich, who has 10 grandchildren, said he’s a strong believer in climate change and wants to assist as much as he can in reducing emissions and building a cleaner future for the next generation.

“This isn’t a job; it’s a commitment to them,” he said. “The end goal is we’ve got to lower our CO₂ emissions.”

According to the provincial government, transportation accounted for the largest portion of greenhouse gas emissions in Manitoba at around 39 per cent in 2023.

“This is one way we can certainly get to a net-zero position in the province and financially, that’s going to be the driver,” he said. “You mix in solar and battery into that mix, and the cost of travel really comes down substantially.”

While Heinrich said EVs can lose 30 per cent of their driving range in Manitoba winters, he said he’s confident in future improvements.

“Once these new battery technologies come out, we’re certainly going to go ahead. The landscape now, compared to 2030, is going to be night and day,” he said.

In summer conditions, Heinrich said his vehicle can travel approximately 430 kilometres on a full charge, noting he could potentially skip some charging stops if he were to repeat the trip.

Hundreds of EV charging stations in Manitoba

According to Manitoba Hydro, there are hundreds of EV charging stations around the province, though most sites are limited to major highways or southern communities.

The Crown corporation previously announced a charging corridor from Winnipeg to Thompson consisting of six EV charging sites, which is intended to be fully operational by spring 2027.

The City of Winnipeg operates five public charging stations at St. Vital Park, Kildonan Park, Seven Oaks Pool, the Bill and Helen Norrie Library and Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Station 9. The sites were introduced following the launch of a pilot charging program in 2022.

“Whoever’s putting in electric vehicle chargers, it’s a positive step towards being able to have this adoption,” Heinrich said.

“You don’t see many people, or anybody, driving an EV without a smile on their face.”

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