ERRINGTON — Canadian Electric Vehicles (CEV), based in Errington, has powered up two of their first electric car charging stations on Vancouver Island this week.
Both stations are level 2 — which are 240 volt 30 amp units featuring the new regulatory compliant EV charging coupler (plug) which mates with the inlet (receptacle) found on all new electric vehicles produced by the major auto manufacturers.
These level 2 charging stations charge four times faster than level 1 stations which are equivalent to an extension cord from a household electrical socket. A level 2 fast charge requires an electrical service similar to a clothes dryer plug.
Fully electric passenger vehicles can be charged to full capacity quickly using these units.
CEV president Randy Holmquist attended the National Electric Vehicle Show in Vancouver where charging station vendors dominated the floor.
With the prediction thousands of electric vehicles being sold in North America in the coming years, he said, charging stations will literally become a household item.
For Holmquist the level 2 charging station is already a household item with the family vehicle being a fully electric VW Beetle. At CEV the level 2 charging station is used to keep the parking lot of converted electric vehicles ready to drive.
The level 2 charging stations will accompany the latest CEV demonstration vehicle which is a fully electric Ford Ranger pickup truck for municipal fleet applications.
