Electric vehicle are on the road to more adoption in Northern BC with the opening of an EV charging hub in Prince George, providing space for up to 16 EVs to charge simultaneously.
“This new electric vehicle fast-charging hub in Prince George, a first of its kind in Northern BC, continues our work with BC Hydro and other partners to make cleaner options more accessible and affordable for all British Columbians,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions, in a statement announcing the hub.
The station, funded in partnership with the province and Natural Resources Canada, is located in the parking lot of the College of New Caledonia (CNC) at Highway 97 and 22nd Avenue.
The hub features two new 350-kilowatt chargers, the highest-powered chargers on BC Hydro’s system. These chargers can provide 100 kilometres of travel on a five-minute charge. They also offer power-sharing, allowing two vehicles to charge on the same unit and receive up to 175 kilowatts each.
“British Columbians are embracing electric vehicles faster than any other jurisdiction in Canada, and that’s why we are continuing to make investments for growth within our current system and building out our fast-charging network across BC,” said Chris O’Riley, president and CEO of BC Hydro. “These new chargers in Prince George will help support EV adoption and reduce range anxiety throughout Northern BC.”
"Range anxiety" is the concern that there won't be enough chargers available for people to make longer trips.
The province reports that the number of EVs being purchased is up 30 per cent in the North.
BC saw 117,000 electric passenger vehicles purchased in 2023, accounting for 4.3 percent of all vehicles in the province. The total number of EVs on the road in BC is now 180,000. BC Hydro predicts there will be between 700,000 and 900,000 EVs in BC within the next 10 years.
In its announcement, BC Hydro reported plans to continue building out its fast-charging network, with plans to implement chargers along highway corridors and in urban communities, along with a focus on additional hub sites like the one at CNC.
Hubs have already been installed in Surrey, Delta and Colwood.
The opening of this new charging hub follows a recent announcement that Charge North has created a charging station network capable of 1 million kilometres of emissions-free travel in B.C.
