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Bradford gives green light to investigating electric vehicle chargers

'The numbers are mad,' says local resident, who suggests the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury could earn more money if it invested in the chargers itself, rather than partnering with a company

Bradford West Gwillimbury could soon be one stop along a provincial “green highway” if council approves a deal to add two more electric-vehicle charging stations to town.

Jonathan Sandler, of Baseload Power Corporation, presented a proposal to council this week about getting his company permission to install one or two of the stations in municipal parking lots, in exchange for a percentage of the revenue.

“This is a no-brainer. We need to do more things that are green,” said Coun. Mark Contois at a council meeting May 7.

“There’s not a cost to the town. I’d like to see this project happen,” added Coun. Peter Ferragine.

A location a little closer to the Highway 400 should also be considered, said Deputy Mayor James Leduc.

“That’s where you get those quick charges coming through,” he said. “Hopefully we can pave a green highway.”

Council voted to move forward with a Memorandum of Agreement to negotiate an agreement in the next six months, which will come before council for a vote before it is finalized.

To qualify for federal funding, Baseload would need to sign a 10-year agreement with the town, Sandler told council, but the memorandum cites at least 20 years. 

“I’m amazed how efficient it is hook up these cars … especially with the price of gas going up,” said Coun. Peter Dykie Jr. “It’s really good to have facilities that can charge in 20 minutes. Since we have the property here, we should investigate it.”

However, one local resident, who owns an electric vehicle and works in the technology industry, is sounding an alarm over the proposed deal.

“You’d have to be crazy to sign this (agreement),” said BWG resident Dave Wood. “The numbers are mad.”

According to Sandler, it costs about $100,000 for each Level 3 charging station, and Baseload intends to apply for $50,000 worth of federal funding (which has a May 16 deadline) for the project.

Brian Millar, communications co-ordinator for Plug'n Drive, a non-profit that promotes electric cars, told BradfordToday there are two types of charging stations: Level 2, which can cost $1,500 to $4,000, and Level 3, which are in the $16,000 to $50,000 range. 

For his personal EV charger, Wood says he paid $1,099 on Amazon.

Home-charging stations are also Level 2, but Millar said comparing them to Level 3 is like "comparing apples to sunglasses." 

Currently, there is one electric-vehicle charging station in BWG.

Baseload is proposing to install, operate and maintain the stations all at its own cost, including warranty issues, damage, decommissioning of the units, and snow clearing, as well as having a team on-call, 24-7 for any customers who need troubleshooting or to pay over the phone, Sandler said.

The idea is to place the stations somewhere convenient, so drivers have something to do while their cars charge, Sandler said, adding Baseload is eyeing the BWG Leisure Centre as a prime location.

Sandler said he is meeting with several municipal councils this week before the funding deadline, with hopes of eventually building a “green highway.”

The stations would be up and running within 18 months of signing an agreement, he added.

According to a draft memorandum of understanding, Baseload would pay the town three per cent of the first $200,000 it earns from each charging station, five per cent of the next $200,000, and 10 per cent of all net revenues above $400,000.

“The proof is not totally in the pudding, because it’s so new,” Sandler said.

But with that first payment totalling $6,000, Wood suggested the town would be better to get its own charging station and put up the money itself to get more revenue.

Wood also questioned Baseload’s charging rate of $20 an hour, noting it costs him $30 a month to charge his Chevrolet Bolt every night, and he does about 120 kilometres of driving per day.

However, the stations Baseload is using appear to be from the company FLO, which has thousands of public stations across Canada and charges $20 an hour in Ontario for “fast charging,” according to its website

This amount is "perhaps on the high side," Millar said, noting most Level 3 stations charge $15 to $16 an hour. 

Sandler also told council that electric cars would be able to fully charge at the 50-kilowatt stations in 18 to 25 minutes.

Most lower-end electric vehicles can charge at that rate, Wood said, but newer models are charging at 100 kilowatts and above. The Model 3 Tesla, for example, can charge at Supercharger stations at a peak power of 250 kilowatts.

This would just mean those vehicles would be charging at a lower speed, Wood said.

Millar said most cars on the market will be able to charge at the 50-kilowatt rate, and Level 3 stations can charge most electric cars from empty to 80 per cent in 30 to 45 minutes.


Jenni Dunning

About the Author: Jenni Dunning

Jenni Dunning is a community editor and reporter who covers news in the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury.
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