Accelerate Kootenays: EV Adoption in Rural BC
Many rural communities across Canada are preparing for the wide-spread adoption of EVs, including the Kootenay region of British Columbia. Along with various partner organizations, the three regional districts of Kootenay are investing $1.5 million to install an EV charging network to promote EV adoption and local tourism. The accelerate Kootenay project will encompass 40 local communities and install a total of 53 chargers: 13 DC fast chargers and 40 Level 2 chargers. The DC fast chargers will be able to charge a vehicle to 80% in under 30 minutes while Level 2 chargers take approximately 4-6 hours to completely charge a vehicle from 0%. Once they are installed, the chargers will connect approximately 1,870 km of the region for EV travel, including popular tourist destinations like Glacier National Park and Yoho National Park. This will help make travel along the Trans-Canada highway safer, particularly during cold winter months. Ultimately, projects like this will help dispel consumer concerns surrounding charging infrastructure and help rural communities transition towards a low-carbon future.
References:
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Alicja Siekierska, Rural communities to power providers: How everyone is prepping for electric vehicle adoption, 2017. At https://business.financialpost.com/transportation/ev-feature
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Accelerate Kootenays, Home, n.d. At http://acceleratekootenays.ca/