Public charging a lingering issue among EV drivers in B.C.

Lack of reliable and convenient public charging is a big issue for electric vehicle owners in British Columbia, a survey commissioned by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) in partnership with the British Columbia Automobile Association reveals.

The survey, which includes more than 5,100 EV owners in B.C., found this to be the biggest problem among owners even though 8 in 10 plan to purchase another EV for their next vehicle. Most of the survey respondents (97 per cent) also said the cost of fueling their EV has improved, and 90 per cent say the cost of maintenance is better than their previous gas-powered vehicles.

“Our survey shows that people are happy with their EV because they are cheaper to operate and easier to maintain than their previous gas-powered vehicles,” said Shawn Pettipas, Director of Corporate Purpose and Mobility Marketing at BCAA, in a statement. “But it also shows there’s room for improvement when it comes to accessing public fast chargers and increasing confidence with battery range in the cold.”

To bring that point home, their news release states that seven in 10 EV owners in B.C. are less than satisfied with the number of public fast chargers available to them. For those planning longer, winter journeys, 60 per cent would prefer to drive their gas-engine vehicle on long trips in extremely cold weather. And nearly 60 per cent noted lower battery range as being problematic in extremely cold weather. 

However, many of those owners do the majority of their vehicle charging at home. In fact, 83 per cent reported having a fast charger at home, and most survey respondents said their travel time was within 100km of their home — much less than the average range of an EV.

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