BC Hydro opens the first of four new EV fast charging hubs in Surrey
VANCOUVER: BC Hydro has opened its first ever fast charging hub, featuring eight charging ports and the installation of its first 180-kilowatt chargers in the Lower Mainland – the fastest chargers on its network. The new hub is located at the Surrey Arts Centre in Bear Creek Park with three more hubs planned for Surrey this summer.
“Making the switch to an electric vehicle means less pollution, cleaner and healthy communities, and savings on fuel costs,” said Rachna Singh, MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers. “That’s why we are working to expand B.C.’s public charging infrastructure and build an economy powered by clean, affordable electricity. Surrey is the fastest growing city in British Columbia, and it is great to see that drivers will have more places to fast-charge their vehicle away from home as we continue to build out B.C.’s electric highway.”
The Surrey Arts Centre hub site includes four 180-kilowatt chargers, 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 eight vehicles to use these four chargers at once. This location also includes a curbless design, cable management systems and a lower display on the new chargers for better accessibility.
“B.C. has one of the highest adoption rates in North America with more than 160,000 EVs on the road and we’re forecasting there will be up to 900,000 EVs in B.C. within the next decade,” said Chris O’Riley, President and CEO of BC Hydro. “With Surrey expected to become B.C.’s largest city in the coming years, it’s a great place to introduce our first charging hubs and we have plans to build more of these EV charging hubs in communities throughout B.C. to make sure customers have access to faster and more available public charging.”
Three additional charging hubs are under construction in the City of Surrey. They will be located the North Surrey Sport and Ice Complex (12 charging ports), Guildford Recreation Centre (12 charging ports) and the Surrey Sport and Leisure Complex (eight charging ports). All three hub sites will be operational by the end of this summer.
When all four EV charge hubs are up and running in the City of Surrey, BC Hydro will have 50 ports available at seven locations throughout the community.
“Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, and it is crucial that we have the infrastructure to support this transition,” says Brenda Locke, Mayor of Surrey. “The new fast charging hub at the Surrey Arts Centre is a significant milestone in our journey towards carbon neutrality. By investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, we are not only reducing our environmental footprint, but also paving the way for a more sustainable transportation system. I thank BC Hydro for their commitment to creating a cleaner, greener future for our city, and I look forward to working with BC Hydro to open three more fast charging hubs in Surrey.”
BC Hydro’s provincewide fast charging network currently includes 183 ports at 88 sites in communities throughout B.C. Once the charging hubs in Surrey are complete, BC Hydro will have more than 200 charging ports available in its EV network. BC Hydro is looking to add 3,000 ports to its network by 2030. The chargers are funded in a partnership with the Province of B.C. and Natural Resources Canada.
Because of its demonstration of leadership in supporting EV drivers living in and traveling through Surrey, BC Hydro has named the City of Surrey a Clean Energy Champion. BC Hydro is accepting nominations from B.C. residents, businesses, municipalities, or Indigenous and community groups that have taken steps to lower their carbon footprint and adopt new clean energy technologies. If you or someone you know is a Clean Energy Champion, nominate them at bchydro.com/cleanenergychampions.
Additional files:
- Fast charging hubs in Surrey [PDF, 216 KB]
Contact:
BC Hydro Media Relations
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p. 604 928 6468