Electric vehicle drivers on the highway north of Nanaimo will have more options for getting re-charged.
The B.C. government announced Friday, July 2, that it will direct $210,000 to Nanoose Economic Development Corporation for four new EV charging stations at Snaw-Naw-As Market at Lantzville Road and the Island Highway.
The funding comes from the province’s Clean B.C. Go Electric public charger program and work to install the new charging stations is planned to start next month, according to a press release from the province.
Snaw-Naw-As Chief Gordon Edwards said in the release that the First Nation and its economic development corporation are “proud to support the use of clean energy and participate in meeting the CleanBC goals, which are aligned with our culture and tradition of caring for our natural environment.”
B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman said in the release the new charging stations build on the province’s efforts to make zero-emission vehicles “more affordable, accessible and practical” and will help B.C. meet climate and clean economy goals.
Parksville-Qualicum MLA Adam Walker said the province’s public charger program is decreasing barriers for motorists interested in switching to electric vehicles.
“Here in our community, passion for protecting the planet is endless,” Walker said in the release.
The Zero-Emission Vehicles Act requires automakers to meet increasing targets for sales of zero-emission vehicles, including 10 per cent of light-duty vehicle sales by 2025 and 100 per cent by 2040. The province says at last count, EV sales represented 9.4 per cent of all new light-duty vehicle sales.
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