Future of EV and PHEV Charging

Over the next decade, EVs, which run on chargeable batteries, could account for a quarter of car sales worldwide. There is, therefore, no doubt that the current electric charging infrastructure will undergo a massive disruption. These changes are already occurring. Companies such as Tesla have understood, from the beginning, that drivers needed to make long trips on the road, so they created a network of superchargers. They have also understood that commercial charging infrastructure will, in the long run, only supplement home-based charging, so they also produced and market in-house chargers.

Where will the travelling EV refuel while travelling on longer trips in Canada? Proximity to the main highway, as is the case right now for gasoline, will be a requirement for locating charging stations. Already, some forward-thinking energy providers, such as Irving Oil in the New Brunswick, provide electric options for its customers. Charging stations at Irving Oil sites form part of a fast-charging corridor of stations located at 65-kilometre intervals along the TransCanada Highway.