A dramatic improvement in electric vehicle charging infrastructure is needed to achieve the federal government’s zero-emissions vehicle plan, according to a group of Canada’s key automotive industry associations.
“We are here, quite frankly, to announce that Canada needs urgent action to achieve its zero-emissions goals,” said Huw Williams, Director of Public Affairs at CADA, during a news conference on June 13. “Urgent action has to come in (the form) of charging infrastructure.”
The conference included representatives of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA), and the Global Automakers of Canada (GAC). A news release demanding action from the federal government was also released on June 13 by the associations.
In the release, CADA President and CEO Tim Reuss highlighted the issue of uncertainty among Canadians when it comes to buying, using, and charging their EVs in a way that fits their lifestyle and geographical requirements. The issue, he emphasized, is the lack of charging infrastructure to back their purchase and use of the vehicle.
“For charging, that means being able to do so where they live, work, and play and not having to add 30-45 minutes to their daily commute by having to rely on public charging alone,” said Reuss in a statement.
To help manage the situation CADA, CVMA, and the GAC developed a ZEV timeline that was released the same day as the press conference. Brian Kingston, President and CEO of CVMA, said the timeline — which is part of a larger initiative — outlines the charging infrastructure required to achieve 100 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2025.
“The timeline shows that Canada is not on track to provide the necessary infrastructure to support widespread ZEV adoption,” said Kingston during the conference. In a statement, he added that what is needed is a “comprehensive, long-term plan.”
Such a plan could help mitigate three key challenges that consumers are faced with when it comes to charging infrastructure: location, accessibility, and reliability.
“Nothing will detract from a consumer’s electric driving experience more than if consumers do not know where the stations are, if the stations are inoperable when they arrive, or if they must wait to use them,” said Adams in a statement. He added that if the overall experience is complicated for the consumer, it will be problematic as most consumers are not willing to put up with a little bit of inconvenience.
