Callander’s council is considering the possibility of adding some electric vehicle charging stations in the municipality. Nothing is set in stone, but council asked staff to prepare a report to explore options, costs, and possible locations.
During the last council meeting, Kush Obhrai and Salman Esmail, from Ivy Charging Network, visited virtually to present information about charging stations, and the company.
The company, formed by Ontario Power Generation and Hydro One, branched out on its own in 2020. It maintains a large network of charging stations throughout Ontario. You may have seen some at the On Route sites along Highway 400 and 401, and most are fast chargers, offering 100 kW+ to customers.
“We install chargers that are proven and reliable in the field because we’ve learned that that’s what matters most to consumers,” Obhrai said.
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Fast charging stations, also known as Level 3 charging stations, provide up to 200 kW – 400 volts – of charging power, and can charge most cars up to 80 per cent in 20 – 40 minutes, Obhrai added. Most municipalities have installed Level 2 chargers, he noted, which take over an hour to charge a battery.
Level 2 units range from $1,500 to $4,000, Obhrai noted, whereas “the hardware alone” for Level 3 units “start in the $50,000 range.” Plus, the installation fees. On average, a completed project for a Level 2 costs around $20,000.
“Level 3 is what people are using as a fueling stop,” at an On Route, or wherever people need to get back on the road relatively quickly.
“I’d like to look into it more,” Mayor Robb Noon said. “I think it’s good for the municipality moving forward, something we should investigate further.”
Council agreed, and staff will bring that report to council once complete.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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