BC Hydro has expanded one of its electric vehicle (EV) charging sites in Nanaimo with six new charging ports to help support EV adoption on Vancouver Island.
"This expanded electric vehicle charge hub in Nanaimo continues our work with BC Hydro and other partners to make cleaner options more accessible and affordable for all British Columbians," said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. "With more than 800 BC Hydro charging ports now available in communities throughout B.C., we are building a public charging network that's ready to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles and will support economic growth in our province."
The hub site is located in the parking lot of the Nanaimo Real Canadian Superstore at 6435 Metral Drive. BC Hydro has added three 180-kilowatt chargers to this location, which can add up to 180-kilometres of driving to an average EV in about 10 minutes. In addition to being faster, the units also offer dual charging or power sharing, which allows two customers to use the same charger. For example, a 180-kilowatt charger can adjust to provide two 90-kilowatt charging units, which allows up to six EVs to use these three chargers at once. The site features chargers equipped with CCS, NACS, and CHAdeMO connectors in various configurations to accommodate a wide range of EVs. The site originally opened in 2018 with two chargers and can now accommodate a total of eight vehicles at the same time.
"We are working to support the growing demand for electric vehicles in the Nanaimo area by expanding the public charging network in our community," said George Anderson, MLA for Nanaimo-Lantzville. "These new BC Hydro chargers strengthen Vancouver Island's charging infrastructure and provide drivers with more confidence to choose zero-emission vehicles."
BC Hydro also has two existing EV fast-charging sites in Nanaimo at Rock City Centre and the Nanaimo Convention Centre. These three sites now provide a combined 19 charging ports for EV users in the community.
"We're expanding B.C's clean electricity supply and strengthening our provincial grid to power homes, businesses, industry and the future of transportation," said Charlotte Mitha, President and CEO of BC Hydro. "These new EV chargers in Nanaimo are part of our investment in electric vehicle infrastructure - supporting EV adoption across Vancouver Island, reducing range anxiety and helping more British Columbians transition to zero-emission driving."
The adoption of EVs across British Columbia has increased significantly with more than 220,000 EVs on the road in B.C. As BC Hydro continues to build its fast-charging network, it plans to focus on building more hub sites with multiple chargers along highway corridors and highly populated areas to provide a faster and more convenient experience for its customers.
BC Hydro is working to build a robust EV charging network across the province. Recent milestones include:
- Network expansion: In the past year alone, BC Hydro has tripled the size of its public charging network, adding 418 new charging ports.
- State-of-the-art hubs: About two-dozen new hubs have opened in every region of the province, each featuring 8 to 22 charging ports, to help minimize wait times for drivers.
- Next-gen fast chargers: BC Hydro deployed new 400-kilowatt and 350-kilowatt chargers at some locations, capable of delivering up to 100 kilometers of range in just a few minutes.
- Completion of the Electric Highway: With fast chargers placed about every 150 kilometers along major routes, the Government of B.C. completed the Electric Highway in September 2024. BC Hydro operates 111 of the highway's 155 charging locations, making up more than 70 per cent of the network.
BC Hydro's provincewide fast charging network currently includes 851 charging ports at 184 sites in communities throughout B.C. The chargers are funded in a partnership with the Province of B.C. and Natural Resources Canada.
Contact:
BC Hydro Media Relations
Email: media@bchydro.com
Phone: 604 928 6468
