No one rides for free: Electric car charging fees coming to B.C. in May
Posted March 31, 2021 6:38 pm.
Last Updated April 1, 2021 9:44 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Starting May 1, electric car drivers will have to pay to power-up their EVs at fast-charge stations.
BC Hydro gave the thumbs up to start applying user fees at fast-charge stations. However, John Stonier with VEVA (Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association) worries the rates approved are too low.
“We want to have hotels, restaurants, service centers along highways to be able to afford to put in these charging stations and actually get their money back through charging.
This month, BC Hydro received permission from the BC Utilities Commission to charge anywhere from 12 to 27 cents per minute.
“We’re concerned that if the monopoly utility puts out a rate that’s low enough and doesn’t reflect proper capital costs, private companies and businesses won’t be able to afford to put in charging stations when our population of electric cars doubles, triples quadruples in the years ahead,” Stonier explains to NEWS 1130.
He adds when people are travelling, they want a fast charge that takes 10 to 20 minutes but that high power charging costs money.
“We want to make sure that the rates that are set will adequately encourage the building of that infrastructure in the future.”
