FAQ about EV charging

Get solutions to continuously requested questions on charging electrical autos in Canada, together with charging occasions and prices, and places of Petro-Canada charging stations.

How lengthy does it take to cost an electrical automobile?

It is a bit like asking how lengthy it takes to fill a pool. The reply depends upon the scale of the pool, the hose you’re utilizing and even the climate. Whereas there’s no one-size-fits-all reply, understanding a couple of key components will show you how to estimate charging occasions, whether or not you’re topping up in a single day or fuelling up on a street journey.

Charging time depends upon the facility supply, the automobile’s charger and its battery measurement, and even climate situations:

• The facility supply: A primary family outlet may take days to replenish an EV—consider it as trickling water right into a barrel with a tiny spout. A quicker residence setup, like a 240-volt charger you’d use for a dryer, cuts that all the way down to only a few hours in a single day. Public stations are fast-charging and are the speediest possibility. These can juice up your battery in lower than an hour.

• The automobile: Take a small battery, like in a Nissan Leaf—it would cost totally in seven to eight hours with a 240-volt setup, or about an hour with a quick charger. A much bigger battery, say in a GMC Hummer EV, may take nearer to 13 hours at residence or round two hours with quick charging. 
• Climate: Climate can nudge these occasions a bit—chilly or sizzling days may gradual issues down—nevertheless it’s often a minor issue. Excessive temperatures, nevertheless, can significantly improve cost time. Excessive chilly can cut back battery effectivity by round 20% to 40%. 

So, charging may vary from a fast 20 to 120 minutes at a quick station to a leisurely 5 to 13 hours at residence, relying in your setup and EV. 

How a lot does it value to cost and electrical automobile?

At residence, the place most EV homeowners cost, prices tie into your electrical energy invoice. In a metropolis like Toronto, charging in a single day throughout off-peak hours may run you lower than $1 per day—round $300 a yr for the typical driver. That’s a steal in comparison with a tank of fuel. Charges differ by location and time, although. The price could be increased throughout peak hours and in pricier areas.

Public charging stations supply comfort however typically include a payment. Some cost by time (e.g., $0.30 per minute), some cost by vitality use (e.g., $0.40/kWh), and a few cost a flat price per session (e.g., $5 to $7 for a fast enhance). Power-based billing continues to be growing in Canada. Free stations exist too—you might discover them close to companies or in parks—however they’re not the norm. Quick-charging spots, like superchargers, are likely to value extra for his or her pace, although they prevent time on the go.

The make-up of your EV issues, too. A smaller battery, like in a plug-in hybrid, prices much less to fill than a giant one in a full electrical SUV. Effectivity performs a job as properly. Extra environment friendly fashions stretch every cost additional, trimming prices.

So, you possibly can count on a spread of costs: roughly $0.78 day by day at residence in a metropolis like Toronto (throughout off-peak hours) to round $10 for a fast public top-up on the street. In comparison with gas-powered autos, EVs often win on financial savings, particularly with sensible charging habits.

EV charging stations in Canada

Petro-Canada EV charging

Petro-Canada was the primary main fuel retailer to increase on Canada’s EV charging infrastructure. In 2019, it opened an EV charging station in Victoria, B.C., marking the completion of Canada’s Electrical Freeway, the nation’s first coast-to-coast community of quick chargers.

Extra of Canada’s greatest credit cards: