Fast-charging stations for electric vehicles coming to Trans-Canada Highway

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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Terrible, terrible news...if you're an oil lobbyist.




Fast-charging stations for electric vehicles coming to Trans-Canada Highway

Three companies are teaming up with the federal government to install 34 electric vehicle fast-charging stations along the Trans-Canada Highway in an attempt to encourage the adoption of zero-emission vehicles.

The $17.3-million charging network, which will be installed in Ontario and Manitoba, will allow drivers to charge their zero-emission cars in about 20 minutes through stations powered by a lithium-ion battery storage system, one its developers say won’t stress the utility grid.

The project is funded by an $8-million “repayable contribution” from Natural Resources Canada under the Canadian Energy Innovation Program, as well as private investment from eCAMION, a Toronto-based energy storage system developer, Leclanché, an energy storage provider, and Geneva-based power producer SGEM.

Jim Carr, the federal Minister of Natural Resources, said in a news release that government recognizes that electric vehicles will play a significant role in reducing emissions from the transportation sector.

“With more electric vehicles becoming available, we want to make them an easy choice for Canadians. The strategic investment brings us closer to having a national coast-to-coast network of electric vehicle charging stations while growing our economy and creating good jobs for Canada’s middle-class,” Carr said.

Industry experts and government leaders have agreed that developing and installing charging infrastructure around the country is crucial in order to spark electric vehicle sales in Canada.

Each new station will consist of an energy storage system that uses large-format lithium-ion batteries and multiple outlets so that several cars can be charged at once. The stations will be equipped to use Level 3 chargers, which typically use a 480-volt system that can fully charge electric vehicles in about 30 minutes. Level 2 chargers, found in homes and commonly seen in parking garages, use a 240-volt system and can fully recharge vehicles in about eight to 10 hours.

Bryan Urban, executive vice president with Leclanché North America, said the technology is particularly advantageous because it will not stress the grid or require significant infrastructure upgrades.

“As electric vehicles get faster in the charging process, that can have a lot of stress on the grid and you would need to beef up the system, particularly in areas that are more remote. That can be costly,” he said.

“But this way, you can charge multiple vehicles at a time, without stressing the grid.”

The battery sources would be recharged during off-peak times, according to the companies. Urban also said several stations will be outfitted with solar panels to recharge the battery.

“This is perhaps the largest infrastructure project for electrical vehicles to be deployed at one time anywhere in the world,” said Elad Barak, VP business development of eCAMION, in a statement.

Fast-charging stations for electric vehicles coming to Trans-Canada Highway | Financial Post
 

justlooking

Council Member
May 19, 2017
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And the fast charge reduces the battery life by how much ?

Imagine, going coast to coast in 4 days, and then shucking out another 5 grand for new batteries. :)
 

Twin_Moose

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Which is good news I hope not to many electric cars get stranded between charging systems. Just a side question how much carbon would be emitted into the atmosphere on the manufacturing of these giant Lithium batteries, I thought I read somewhere that the carbon emitted by the manufacturing of the Lithium battery will never be recovered in the life of the battery, but I guess at least it isn't that horrid carbon based fuel:)
 
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mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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I'm sure there is some kind of calculus to determine a net benefit when factoring in car use.

A carbon price also incentivizes companies to refine their manufacturing process.
 

justlooking

Council Member
May 19, 2017
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I thought I read somewhere that the carbon emitted by the manufacturing of the Lithium battery will never be recovered in the life of the battery,


What ?
Oh no, you cannot actually try to challenge the virtue signaling grass munchers that their precious
lookatmelookhowenvironmentaliam toy actually creates more damage than it stops.

That's just not cool.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
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34 stations across 1 highway covering the whole country? Where will the 35th vehicle charge? And can you actually drive from one station to the next without running out of juice?

And how much government $ will go into subsidizing this 'venture'?
 

DaSleeper

Trolling Hypocrites
May 27, 2007
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34 stations across 1 highway covering the whole country? Where will the 35th vehicle charge? And can you actually drive from one station to the next without running out of juice?

And how much government $ will go into subsidizing this 'venture'?
Three companies are teaming up with the federal government to install 34 electric vehicle fast-charging stations along the Trans-Canada Highway in an attempt to encourage the adoption of zero-emission vehicles.

Code word for fully subsidized :rolleyes:
 

taxslave

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Nov 25, 2008
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Powered but nuclear power stations in Ontario. Somehow that is good for the environment. But then the majority of the anti oil crowd are just shills for the nuke industry preying on gullible like flossy.
 

White_Unifier

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Feb 21, 2017
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Powered but nuclear power stations in Ontario. Somehow that is good for the environment. But then the majority of the anti oil crowd are just shills for the nuke industry preying on gullible like flossy.

If I had to choose between an oil leak and a nuclear meltdown, hmmmm.....

Code word for fully subsidized :rolleyes:

Either that of the government contracted out to them. Either way though, the taxpayer pays for it. But if it's the latter, at least we get something for it since the stations would be state-owned. If the companies are just subsidized, then they keep it. If the state owns it, at least it can sell it and make some money off of it.

But personally, I say raise the carbon tax and let the market figure it out.
 

taxslave

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If I had to choose between an oil leak and a nuclear meltdown, hmmmm.....

Easy to turn off the tap on an oil pipe. Apparently nukes keep polluting even after they blow up. Fukushima has polluted the BC coast and is still pumping out thousands of gallons of polluted water every day.
 

Curious Cdn

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[I live less than a mile from that sign. It's huge. I watched the workmen putting it up and the rear windows on that car are the full height of a man.]
 

White_Unifier

Senate Member
Feb 21, 2017
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Easy to turn off the tap on an oil pipe. Apparently nukes keep polluting even after they blow up. Fukushima has polluted the BC coast and is still pumping out thousands of gallons of polluted water every day.

And you can get close to an oil spill. To approach a nuclear leak is suicide at best. Sure we can send in robots, yet the radiation affects even their circuitry.

Just look at the photos from Chernobyl. Photographic technology was actually quite advanced even then, yet the photos are fuzzy because the radiation was eating into the cameras.

I think at lest one robot malfunctioned at Fukushima too. They sent it in to explore and it didn't take long for the radiation to ravage it.