In an effort to increase the appeal of electric vehicles, non profit EV advocate organization Plug’n Drive and local Ontario utility companies have banned together and launched chargemycar.ca, an online portal where consumers can choose, buy and arrange the installation of their electric car charger. The project is designed to ensure that the installation of electric car chargers does not disrupt the power grid.
“One of the barriers to electric car adoption is the perceived complexity of charging at home instead of refuelling at a gas station,” remarked Cara Clairman, CEO of Plug’n Drive. “Charge My Car simplifies the process of installing an electric car charger.” This online portal provides customers with maximum choice of chargers, gives charger manufacturers a forum to sell their products and, most importantly, provides the local utilities with a channel to connect with their customers during the charger installation process.
Recent studies predict at least 100,000 electric cars on Canadian roads by 2020 and drivers will do the majority of their charging at home. In most cases, local electricity companies have no way of knowing where electric cars are located. Without this information, these electricity companies cannot learn about the potential impact these cars may have on the electricity grid. “Charge My Car fills an important gap in the electric car ecosystem,” said Gerry Smallegange, CEO of Burlington Hydro. “It provides customers the opportunity to involve their local utility in the installation process which will assist utility companies in protecting the local electricity grid.”
“The Electrical Safety Authority is pleased to partner with Plug’n Drive on Charge My Car. The service protects the safety of homeowners by listing only products that are approved to be sold in Canada and by connecting homeowners with licensed electrical contractors,” said David Collie, president and CEO of the Electrical Safety Authority.
