Fast-charger network for EVs coming slower than promised but it's coming, says NL Hydro

Geoff Newman was hesitant to buy an electric car a few years ago but now his family has two and he hopes his youngest child will never set foot onthe gas pedal of a fuel-powered vehicle.

"My youngest, who is now 10, will probably only ever drive electric," he said.

Newman is one member of a family of five that used to have two gas-powered vehicles:a minivan and a car.When the car died (beyond resuscitation) they had a choice to make.

Newman believed electric cars arethe right thing for the environment but he wasn't certainit would work for his family. It took anudge to convince him.

"The biggest factor behind it is probably the family's belief in protecting the environment. It's fair to say that my daughter and my wife were very integral in the decision-making," he told CBC News this week.

Newman has family in Gander, about330 kilometres from St. John's,and one of his big concerns about electric vehicles was how far they could go without running out of power.

When their second gas vehicle deteriorated beyond repair, they bit the bullet and bought a second electric car.

"So when we bought electric cars we had to have that in mind. Can we make it out to Gander and will that work? And the answer is now it can," he said.

Goobies is the answer

What changed?Newman says Goobies changed. The town, 160 kilometres west of St. John's,now has afast charger for electric vehicles.

"We probably wouldn't have have made that decision to buythat second electric car had the faster-charging network across the province not been planned. We bought the car in February and the stations have been steadilyopening one at a time."

The fast charger in Goobiesis one of 14that are being installed across the island, from St. John's to Port aux Basques.

Last summer the federal government contributed $770,000 to the project. The provincial government is kicking in $1 million, and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is providing about $500,000.

There are many Level 2 chargers around the province, and many electric car owners like Newman have installed Level 2 chargers at their homes.

According to N.L. Hydro's website, Level 2 chargers can give an electric vehicle enough power in about 15 minutes to travel 40 kilometres, but fast chargers Level 3 will charge a electric car battery sufficiently in 15 minutes to go 100 kilometres.

And that can make all the difference when you're travelling long distance.

Charging an electric vehicle is cheaper than filling a car with gas. Charging a battery at home is estimated to cost about seven or eight dollars, and Jennifer Williams, president of NL Hydro, says it costs about $15 to fully charge an electric car with a fast charger.

COVID-19 setback

When federal funding for the cross-islandnetworkwas announced last July, the province wastoldthe entire network would be operational by the end of 2020 but a lot has happened since then.

"We've got 14 installed and we have nine in service, with another two to come in service within the next week or two," said Williams.

"We've needed a little bit of extra time. COVID has obviously thrown a wrench into the execution of some of our plans, and the weather is always a little difficult, but we are very close to getting them all completed."

As of mid-April the network is operational as far as Deer Lake, but NLHydro says it won't be long until electric vehicle users will have access to publicfast chargersaboutevery 70 kilometres along the Trans-Canada Highway, along with a fastcharger in Gros Morne National Park.

"It removes barriers for long-distance travel of beyond, say, several hundred kilometres," says Williams

And shesays there's more to come.

"We havean application in jointly with Newfoundland Power tothe Public Utilities Board to put 19 stations in some of the places that are not served now for example, on the various peninsulas andLabrador," said Williams.

Back in his driveway, Geoff Newman and his family arepaying close attention.

"We're watching as the charging stations go across the province," he said with a laugh.

"That's a note to NLHydro. We're watching."

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