Which came first, the electric vehicle or the charging station?
Vancouver city staff are placing their bets on the latter, saying there are few electric vehicles on the roads because of a lack of charging access — and they’re now urging council to provide more stations, especially fast-charge ones, to further the city’s green strategy.
The staff report to council’s standing committee on finance and services on Wednesday is requesting $500,000 for a pilot project in 2017 to spur the growth of electric vehicles, which currently represent less than one per cent of light-duty vehicles on Vancouver roads.
Staff estimate that about $3 million is needed over the next five years to “broaden the market” for non-polluting vehicles and reduce the city’s dependence on fossil fuels through electric-vehicle charging initiatives.
Costs would be reduced if the city opts to charge a fee to use the charge stations.
The report says there is especially a need for fast-charge stations, but “very onerous” restrictions associated with the B.C. Utilities Commission Act make it difficult for private companies to build such stations for profit.
In November 2015 council adopted its Renewable City Strategy, which aims to derive 100 per cent of all Vancouver’s energy from renewable sources and reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent from 2005 levels — both before 2050.
The report comes from the office of Gil Kelley, general manager of planning, urban design and sustainability.
CLICK HERE to report a typo.
Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.
