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New Okanagan electric vehicle charging station up and running

The pair of public fast chargers are located near Highway 6 and Sugar Lake Road near Cherryville
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A new electric vehicle charging station is up and running in Cherryville near Highway 6 and Sugar Lake Road, BC Hydro announced Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. (BC Hydro photo)

Electric car drivers in the North Okanagan now have a new place to recharge.

BC Hydro announced it has a new EV fast-charging site up and running in Cherryville.

The charging station joins the company’s growing network of more than 130 public fast chargers in B.C.

“We are working to make it easier for drivers in B.C. to go electric and use more of B.C.’s clean, reliable hydroelectricity,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low-Carbon Innovation. “This charging location in Cherryville will help make public charging more convenient as a growing number of people in the B.C. Interior make the switch to electric vehicles.”

The Cherryville charging station opened Feb. 2. It is located near Highway 6 and Sugar Lake Road and includes two 25-kilowatt charging units. BC Hydro says each unit can add 25 kilometres of driving to an EV in about 10 minutes. The location includes a curbless design and lower displays on the new charger for better accessibility.

“This new charge site in Cherryville will significantly improve charging access for electric vehicle drivers on Highway 6 in the North Okanagan,” said Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Monashee. “The location is also wheelchair accessible and has newly installed lighting to enhance safety for all users.”

Transportation accounts for about 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in B.C., BC Hydro said.

In September 2021, BC Hydro unveiled its electrification plan with initiatives to encourage B.C. residents, businesses and industries to switch to hydroelectricity from fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions in the process. The plan encourages people to switch from gas-powered cars to EVs.

“As the primary fuel supplier for electric vehicles, we are building out charging infrastructure to ensure we can accommodate the volume and variety of electric vehicles that will be on B.C. roads in the coming years,” said Chris O’Riley, president and CEO of BC Hydro. “BC Hydro will have 325 charging units in its network at 145 sites by the end of 2025.”

BC Hydro’s network of fast-charging stations in the province currently includes 139 charging units at 83 sites. The chargers are funded in a partnership with the province and Natural Resources Canada.

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Brendan Shykora
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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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