Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles are a low carbon mode of transportation with growing popularity in BC. However, access to charging at home has been a barrier to adoption. Roughing-in basic EV charging infrastructure is a relatively low-cost way to ensure that residents buying new homes will be able to install EV charging stations.

In buildings without common parking areas:

• For each parking space, equipment able to deliver 32 amps of power is strongly recommended.
• A breaker for EV charging may be shared with another load (e.g. dryer), provided that control equipment is installed to prevent simultaneous operation of EV charging equipment and the other load.

In buildings with common parking areas:

• Where a breaker and raceway is shared by up to 4 parking spaces, equipment must be sized to deliver a minimum of 32 amps continuously to the group.
• Where a breaker and raceway is shared by 5 or more parking spaces, equipment must be sized to deliver a minimum average of 6 amps continuously per space within the group (e.g. outlet(s) serving 8 parking spaces would require equipment able to supply 48 amps of electricity).

In some cases, transformer upsizing may be required to meet additional power requirements. Contact BC Hydro for more information on supplying larger transformers to accommodate EV charging.

Raceway must be installed from the electrical panel with EV breakers to the associated outlet boxes. Wiring run to the outlets is recommended, but not required. Acceptable raceway types include conduit, open cable trays, or cable.

If conduit is used, pull strings for later wiring are strongly recommended. Receptacles are not required in the outlet boxes.

Any code-compliant disconnect(s) may be installed before or behind the EV-specific utility meter, provided that all EV loads are able to be disconnected independently from other building loads. A main breaker on EV-specific electrical panel(s) is sufficient to meet this requirement.

In order to ensure fair use of infrastructure, it is strongly recommended that initial strata bylaws include guidance regarding EV charging. Details may vary depending on a building’s specific infrastructure configuration and parking ownership model. Important topics to address include regulation of access to and payment for installation, warranty, maintenance, and consumption of power for EV charging.

It may be beneficial to establish agreements with EV charging companies to facilitate installation of charging stations by strata organizations. View a list of local EV charging suppliers.

Additional info for stratas:

• Plug-in BC has produced strata bylaw templates for EV charging that may be helpful.
• Additionally, BC Hydro has developed guidance material for drafting strata bylaws relating to pre-installed EV infrastructure – see Appendix F of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Shared Parking Areas.

EV charging will require connection to the outlet of an EV charging station, and, if not completed at construction, wiring of the station to the breaker via the installed raceway.

In buildings with common parking areas, you will need to ensure you have permission from the Strata to connect a station. If your building’s Strata bylaws do not include provisions for EV charging, this will need to be addressed (see ‘How will a building strata manage EV charging?’). You will also want to ensure a station attached to a shared outlet does not prevent the other parking spaces from accessing power (e.g. by using a station that can share electrical loads).

• Since 2011, annual sales of EVs in B.C. have increased an average of 92% year-over-year, and lower mainland sales are projected to represent 24 to 27% of vehicles by 2030.
• One-third of Canadians surveyed in 2015 expressed an interest in buying an EV, but uptake is limited by a lack of charging infrastructure.
• Port Coquitlam has nine Level 2 public EV charging locations (see www.plugshare.com). Approximately 80-90% of electric vehicle charging is expected to be done at home – a potential challenge for residents in condominiums and rental units.
• Long-range and mass-market EVs are now available, and pricing is expected to be on par with combustion engine vehicles by 2022-2024.
• Up to $11,000 in incentives are available toward the purchase of an EV in BC. Visit Plug In BC for more details.

• Costs vary by building, but roughing in EV charging infrastructure during construction can be 5 times less than retrofitting an existing building.

• The City has identified climate change as a threat to future prosperity and stability. Promoting EV charging is a strategic direction in the City’s Environmental Strategic Plan, a recommendation of the Corporate & Community Climate Action Plan, and a guideline in the Official Community Plan’s Environmental Conservation designation.
• Switching to EVs, which emit 80% less over their life cycle, is one of the most effective ways to reduce emissions and improve air quality in our community.
• The installation of EV charging infrastructure is a strategic direction in the City’s Environmental Strategic Plan, a recommendation of the Corporate & Community Climate Action Plan, and a guideline in the Official Community Plan’s Environmental Conservation designation.
• An estimated 40% of vehicles in Canada will need to be electric by 2040 to meet provincial and national greenhouse gas targets.