Electric vehicle charging stations are becoming more common. But are they more reliable?
CBC
Municipalities in Nova Scotia — large and small — are starting to install electric vehicle charging stations. At least one driver is hoping they will be well maintained.
The town of Mahone Bay will have eight units by the end of December.
According to the mayor, it makes sense to encourage people to consider electric vehicles because Mahone Bay has its own utility and 84 per cent of the power comes from wind and solar.
"I think the municipalities are the ones that can provide leadership," said David Devenne, "Especially the ones that have their own utilities, we can have an impact on both ends."
Halifax has just adopted an electric vehicle strategy. It includes plans to install 1,000 charging stations over the next 10 years. There are currently more than 100 of them across the province.
An electric vehicle driver from Halifax hopes the new charging units will have ongoing maintenance.
Shannon Bradley bought an electric vehicle in April 2020. Five months later, she tried to attend a family function in the Parrsboro area.
Bradley planned to charge the vehicle in Masstown but the charging station did not work. She backtracked to Truro, then to Stewiacke, to try to use units, but they didn't work either.
"So we took our bawling, crying kids back home," she said.
Bradley said she has seen comments from other electric vehicle drivers who have had problems with a variety of the charging stations.
"Either because their app isn't working, or their plastic card isn't working or the charger itself is out of order," said Bradley.
Thomas Arnason McNeil, the Ecology Action Centre's sustainable transportation co-ordinator, said he hasn't heard of ongoing issues with the chargers.
"Sometimes it's a matter of education or confidence using the technology," said Arnason McNeil.
There are three different levels of chargers as well as different apps for finding and using the stations. The Tesla car company also has its own charging units, as does Petro Canada and Nova Scotia Power.
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