City to build 67 more electric car- charging stations by 2013
The City of Vancouver is taking an “if you build it, they will come” approach to electric vehicles, announcing an $ 800,000 pilot project to expand the number of charging stations in the city.
The project aims to see 67 more charging stations in public places throughout Vancouver by the end of next year, up from the 20 it already has. This is in addition to stations that will be built in new developments, as required under changes to the building code made in 2009, Mayor Gregor Robertson said Wednesday. City staff were unable to provide an exact number, but said those stations will likely number in the hundreds.
Public charging stations will be located in parking lots at community centres, parks, offices and commercial sites, Robertson said. The cost of charging a vehicle — which is $ 1 an hour at the two stations at Coal Harbour Community Centre, used as a backdrop for the announcement — will vary depending on the location.
The pilot project is part of a plan to make Vancouver Canada’s most electric- vehicle- ready city, Robertson said.
“It will become a viable option over these next two years for people to have electric vehicles — to know that they can get it charged whether they’re at home, at work or on the go.”
Less than one per cent of Canadians have purchased an electric vehicle, according to Brian Murphy, a senior manager at J. D. Power and Associates. One of the reasons is likely the price of the vehicles, which typically run more than $ 40,000, plus the $ 2,000 it costs to purchase and install a charging station in private homes.
Electric vehicle owners do, however, save significantly over the long run by not paying for gas. Charging an electric vehicle costs eight cents per kilowatt hour, or about 80 cents for enough electricity to travel 50 kilometres, said BC Hydro spokeswoman Jennifer Young. This is the same cost as running a clothes dryer, she added.
Another discouraging factor about electric vehicles is “range anxiety” about having to take trips that are 200 kilometres or more, Murphy said. A full charge will take the Nissan Leaf, for example, about 160 kilometres, depending on the terrain and weather conditions.
But Robertson noted Vancouver’s adoption rate for hybrids is more than double the national average, and he expects that will be the case with electric vehicles as well.
BCAA does not keep statistics on electric vehicle purchases, but Ken Cousin, the association’s vice- president of road assist, noted a recent CAA survey showed 69 per cent of Canadians expect their next vehicle to be electric or hybrid and just over a third said their next car would be electric.
Electric vehicles have the potential to significantly reduce the province’s greenhouse gas emissions, said Lisa Coltart, executive director of BC Hydro’s Power Smart and customer care programs, noting 38 per cent of B. C.’ s greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation.