The Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII), in a report prepared recently, is warning Bruce, Grey and Huron counties, they risk losing tourist business unless they expand places for Ontario’s growing number of electric vehicle (EV) drivers.
In a release, the NII says easy access to quick electric vehicle charging stations is a major factor in determining where EV owners choose to spend their travel dollars according to a new study.
The study states that 83 percent of Ontario EV owners believe it would be “difficult”or “very difficult” to access public charging in Bruce, Grey and Huron.
That perception is underscored by the fact that the region has just 45 places to charge an EV, with a mere 111 individual plugs across its almost 12,000 square kilometers.
It goes on to say the need for more charging stations is acute.
Two-thirds of EV drivers say they typically use their electric cars for weekend getaways or day trips, according to the survey of 528 owners “most located in urban areas across southern Ontario.”
The NII study found that 42 percent of owners surveyed want to be able to charge their vehicles at highway stops using fast-charging “Level 3” or “fast-DC” plugs that can give an EV an 80 percent charge in 30 to 45 minutes.
Another 36 percent of drivers prefer to use on-street “Level 2” chargers that can add a 50-kilometer range top-up in about an hour.
Just 13 percent were looking for chargers at overnight locations like hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts.
Among other things, the NII report recommends that municipalities work with partners in neighbouring regions to establish “and widely promote” an EV charging station network that would stretch from Highway 401 to the tip of the Bruce Peninsula.
Responses to the survey suggest that the Bruce, Grey and Huron region may already be missing out on attracting visitors.
More than 70% of owners say they would “only choose” or would “give preference” to visiting those locations where they know they will be able to access public charging infrastructure.