Boost for EV charging in Canada

Canada's electric vehicle industry is about to receive a major boost with the announcement of an agreement between eCAMION, based in Toronto, Dallas-based Leclanché North America, part of Switzerland's Leclanché and SGEM based in Geneva, to develop and install a network of 34 fast-charging stations along the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH). The project, designed to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Canada, is being partially funded Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) under the Canadian Energy Inn
July 24, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Canada's electric vehicle industry is about to receive a major boost with the announcement of an agreement between eCAMION, based in Toronto, Dallas-based Leclanché North America, part of Switzerland's Leclanché and SGEM based in Geneva, to develop and install a network of 34 fast-charging stations along the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH).


The project, designed to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Canada, is being partially funded Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) under the Canadian Energy Innovation Program, with investment support from eCAMION, Leclanché and SGEM.

eCAMION and Leclanché have formed a Toronto-based joint venture, FAST Charge to manage the project and further expand the implementation of EV charging systems across North America.

Current EV charging systems make it difficult for drivers to travel long distances, contributing to 'range anxiety' and is one of the biggest obstacles globally to EV adoption.

The new system being developed by FAST Charge consists of an energy storage system, using large-format lithium-ion batteries, along with multiple-outlet charging units that can be charge several EVs at once.  This architecture helps overcome the slow charge issue by acting as a buffer between the grid and the vehicle and allowing EVs to be charged rapidly from the advanced lithium ion batteries instead of directly but more slowly from the grid. This will enable faster charging at Level 3 and higher, allowing EV drivers to charge their vehicles in just 20 minutes.

In addition, each charging station can be connected to a renewable energy source such as solar or wind to facilitate 100-percent emission-free driving.

Greater adoption of EVs for inter-urban travel will reduce the use of carbon-intensive fuels for transportation, which currently generates nearly a quarter of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions. FAST Charge estimates that the installation of 102 charging units at 34 different locations will reduce emissions by an estimated 0.7 million tons over the first five years of operation.

The project is scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2019.

Related Content

  • July 24, 2017
    Truck platooning trials take to the highways
    There is rising enthusiasm in America and beyond for the concept of truck platooning with trials being planned in several US states, as David Crawford reports. Growing numbers of US states are considering or implementing plans for trials of electronically-linked truck platooning on public road networks. This is in response to the interest being shown by the US$70bn a year road freight industry, where fuel represents 41% of the operating costs making the prospect of improving fuel economy by trucks travellin
    Read More
  • April 13, 2012
    Honda extends development of alternative energy programmes
    Honda has unveiled further initiatives in the testing and evaluation of its alternative energy development programmes for vehicles, with the opening of a solar hydrogen station on the grounds of its Saitama Prefectural Office in Japan and the development of the FCX Clarity to serve as a mobile electric generator.
    Read More
  • June 12, 2014
    Global smart cities market expected to reach US$1,265.85 billion by 2019
    According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research "Smart Cities Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019", the global smart cities market is expected to reach a value of US$1,265.85 billion by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 14.0 per cent from 2013 to 2019. Increase in migration from rural to urban areas is the major factor responsible for the growth of smart cities market, globally. North America was the largest contributor to the smart ci
    Read More
  • October 26, 2018
    Chargefox to implement EV ultra-rapid charging stations in Australia
    Australian Start-up Chargefox has secured AUS$15 million to build an ultra-rapid network of charging stations for electric vehicles (EV) in the south-eastern state of Victoria. The company says the chargers will allow drivers to travel between major cities. The EV chargers are expected to supply 400km of range in 15 minutes with a power output of up to 350kW. The fund was provided by grants from the Victorian government and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. It also includes an investment from
    Read More

Highlighted Content