There’s a new electric vehicle fast-charging station in the City of North Vancouver

Electric vehicle drivers now have one more option when it comes to finding a spot to quickly charge their environmentally friendly mode of transport on the go in the City of North Vancouver.

The city announced April 5 that it has added another Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) station to its growing EV charging network. The new station can be found at East Third Street, just east of Brooksbank Avenue.

The location was chosen as it’s close to many shops and restaurants and has quick access to the TransCanada Highway, offering a convenient place to quickly recharge an EV, according to the city.

The high-powered 50 kW unit provides quick charging for electric vehicles, with most users completing a top-up in less than 30 minutes. 

Creating access to EV charging stations is an objective of the city’s Electric Vehicle Strategy, a guide to encouraging EV adoption. The city now has 10 public EV charging stations, at locations including city hall, North Vancouver City Library parkade, the city’s operation centre and Centennial Theatre.

“Choosing the sustainable option should be easy,” Mayor Linda Buchanan said in a release. “We’re making investments in sustainable transportation so that it’s more accessible to people while furthering our goal of creating a more vibrant community and a healthy, natural environment for future generations.”

Partial funding for the project was provided by Natural Resources Canada and the province of British Columbia.

Susie Chant, MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour, said more and more environmentally conscious British Columbians were making the switch to EVs.

“Through CleanBC, we’re working with our partners to expand our EV charging network in North Vancouver and across the province, making it easier for drivers to go electric, and put B.C. on the road to a cleaner energy future.”

City of North Vancouver EV charging station fees

On April 2, 2019, the city introduced user fees for all city-owned and operated electric vehicle charging stations. The fees are calculated by total minutes used and vary depending on the time of day and the type of charging station used. The city states that revenue from the charging stations goes toward covering operating costs and expansion of the network.

• DC Fast Charging Stations: $16 per hour (located at City Hall). *Fees apply 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

• Level 2 Stations: $2 per hour (located at City Hall & Library parkade). Fees apply 9 a.m.-6 p.m., seven days a week. Evening and overnight charging is free.

• Centennial Theatre Level 2 Station: $1 per hour (load managed slow charging). Fees apply 9 a.m.-6 p.m., seven days a week. Evening and overnight charging is free.

EV drivers can also check Plug Share’s handy map that shows where all the EV charging stations are across the Lower Mainland.