Victoria’s First Fast-Charging Station Opens Downtown
The City of Victoria unveiled its first electric vehicle fast-charging station on Store Street Friday.
A direct current fast charger, also known as a Level 3 charger, can supply an electric vehicle with about 100 kilometres of range in 30 minutes, depending on the vehicle.
The new charging station, with the ability to charge two electric vehicles at a time, is at the south end of Store Street between Johnson Street and Pandora Avenue, near the Johnson Street Bridge.
The new charger joins a network of 19 city-owned Level 2 chargers, 13 of which can be found in each of the five city-run parkades and six along Broad Street.
The city and B.C. Hydro worked together on the site selection and design for the Store Street charging station, with B.C. Hydro responsible for the installation and maintenance of the equipment.
“We are continuing to build a future-ready city and we know that residents are switching to zero-emission vehicles at a rapid rate,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps. “Not only are these new fast chargers a great step towards reducing emissions and addressing the climate crisis, but they are also going to be a great incentive for EV drivers to come downtown and support our local businesses.”
The Store Street charging station is part of B.C. Hydro’s plan to twin or add 31 new stations across the province in 2021.
The City of Victoria began installing its network of publicly accessible charging stations in 2013. It plans to invest an additional $175,000 to expand its electric vehicle charging infrastructure in 2021 and 2022.
Source: timescolonist
