Volkswagen Group Canada recently announced the formation of Electrify Canada – a new company that will build an ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) direct current (DC) charging network across Canada. The EV chargers will be operational by the second quarter of 2019.
“The Canadian electric vehicle market is growing, creating a great need for charging that is fast, convenient and available in key locations,” said Daniel Weissland, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group Canada, Inc. “We are thrilled to be able to offer this service and to take a leadership position in providing this key EV adoption enabler to the Canadian market.”
The initial plan includes the installation of 32 EV charging stations near major highways and in major metro areas including British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Each charging site will have an average of four chargers and use the non-proprietary DC fast charging technologies (CCS and CHAdeMO). Electrify Canada’s EV charging power will range from 150kW to 350kW. The higher 350kW chargers are suitable for longer range, larger battery vehicles that are expected to come to market over the next several years – and are expected to recharge a 300-mile electric car to 80 percent capacity in less than 15 minutes. Level 2 chargers will also be available to will support existing electric cars that don’t have fast-charging capacity.
In managing the rollout and ongoing operation of the network, the company will engage with local vendors to locate, build, and operate the network, providing Canadian drivers with a comprehensive and easy-to-use charging network. The new network will support all automotive brands and it is hoped that the charging compatibility for many makes and models will encourage drivers to adopt electric vehicles.
Navigant Research forecasts that Canadian electric vehicle sales will grow at a compounded annual rate of 29 percent–reaching 140,000 vehicles per year in 2026.