Limited charging options stunting electric vehicle growth

While electric vehicles are becoming a more common option for many drivers, many are also choosing to stay with their traditional gas-powered vehicles.

That choice is even more common in rural Ontario, where public options for charging remain limited.

Yolanda Nandlall has been driving a plug-in hybrid for five years and works part-time, driving across the Ottawa Valley for her job.

"I knew I couldn't go fully electric because of all the driving that I do," Nandlall told CTV News.

"I do a lot of driving. I've got over 150,000 kilometres on my car."

Heading to towns like Arnprior, Renfrew and Calabogie, Nandlall plans her days around when she can stop at a charging station and often spends hours working in her car.

"If I have a break in between my visits, I'll stop and plug it in," she said.

There are two kinds of chargers that exist for drivers of EV cars and both have significant differences.

Level 2 chargers are the most common types of EV chargers and can typically charge a car in four to ten hours. These kinds of chargers can be found in populated areas throughout the Ottawa Valley.

However, there are only five of the more attractive Level 3 charging stations in Renfrew County between Arnprior and Deep River, all found along the Highway 17 corridor.

On a Level 3 station, a car can be charged in about one hour.

Experts say 90 per cent of EV charging takes place at home, but more charging stations are needed to entice drivers to get behind the wheel of electric cars.

"People have what we call 'range anxiety'," says Joanna Kyriazis, director of public affairs for Clean Energy Canada.

"It really is about building public confidence even if these charging stations aren't going to be used as often as we think."

Arnprior automotive dealer Trevor Reid says the hesitancy to switch to electric comes from the innability to charge while on the road, not from how far the vehicle's range is.

"EV charging stations are more spaced out and far between so that's what people are worried about – the range of these vehicles and planning longer trips," said Reid, the owner of Reid Brothers Motor Sales.

Reid says the high-end range on fully electric vehicles can reach about 675 kilometres on a perfect day. But given tougher weather conditions, that range can drop to around 400 kilometres.

"The range is a lot more than you think," he said.