EV Charging Stations Set for Trans-Canada Highway
David Wagman | July 20, 2017Canada is installing a network of 34 fast-charging station for electric vehicles (EVs) along the Trans-Canada Highway.
The project entails an investment of C$17.3 million ($13.6 million USD) and is being partially funded by a C$8.0 million ($6.2 million USD) repayable contribution from Natural Resources Canada under the Canadian Energy Innovation Program.
This initiative will be supported by an investment from eCAMION, based in Toronto, Dallas-based Leclanché North America, part of Switzerland's Leclanché SA and SGEM based in Geneva.
Currently, most public EV charging stations operate at Level 2, requiring about six to eight hours to charge a vehicle. The existing grid infrastructure sometimes proves inadequate to support faster charging. This makes it cumbersome for EV drivers to travel long distances contributing to "range anxiety", and is one of the biggest obstacles to EV adoption.
The Canadian system consists of an energy storage system that uses large-format lithium-ion batteries, along with multiple outlet charging units that can charge several EVs at once.
Developers say this architecture helps overcome the slow charge issue by acting as a buffer between the grid and the vehicle and allowing EVs to be charged rapidly from the advanced lithium-ion batteries, instead of directly, but more slowly, from the grid. This will enable faster charging at Level 3 and higher, allowing EV drivers to charge their vehicles in 20 minutes.
The system's energy storage component includes lithium-ion batteries with scalable capacity that will draw and store energy from the grid for use by charging units whenever required. Each station will have three charging units to allow three vehicles to be charged simultaneously.
The development company has already started work on the demonstration units with funding to be provided by NRCan and a target completion date of December 2017. Manufacturing is scheduled to get underway in the first quarter of 2018 with installation of EV charging stations to be completed through the remainder of 2018.
The FAST Charge stations will be installed at 34 locations along the Trans-Canada Highway roadway connecting Ontario and Manitoba Provinces – a distance of around 3,000 kilometers or 1,860 miles with the stations spaced approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) apart.
