Those looking to charge up their electric vehicles in Kelowna now have two new options with the addition of direct current fast-charge stations (DCFC) at Rutland’s Centennial Park on Shepherd Road and the Kelowna Museum parking lot on Ellis Street.
The recently installed stations accompany the two charging stations opened in June at the Kelowna International Airport.
“Electric vehicles represent a significant opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from transportation,” said Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran. “These stations make fast charging readily available for drivers at the three points of entry into our community and close to City centres in Rutland and Downtown.”
According to Electric Mobility Canada, 10 per cent of all new vehicles purchased in B.C. being electric. The city said the expansion of the DCFC network in Kelowna supports growth and emissions reduction goals.
The DCFC stations can charge a compact electric vehicle in about 30 minutes, as compared to a Level-2 station that requires about three to four hours. For the service, users will be charged a rate of $9 per 30-minute charge. The fee has been approved by the BC Utilities Commission and aligns with rates FortisBC charges at other stations throughout the province.
“Partnering with communities and all levels of government to build EV charging infrastructure is one of the ways we’re working to reduce our customers’ emissions by 30 per cent by 2030,” said Michael Leyland, Manager Innovative Initiatives, FortisBC. “The City of Kelowna has been an active partner in helping us place stations where they’re needed most and we’re grateful for their support.”
The new stations are part of the 12 that FortisBC announced earlier this year, bringing their planned network to 17 stations across 14 Southern-Interior communities by the end of 2019.
The city contributed land and partial funding for the new stations and FortisBC also received financial support from Natural Resources Canada and the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.
For more information on electric vehicles and charging locations, visit fortisbc.com/electricvehicle.
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