(from left), Ryan Mitchell, President and CEO of Saint John Energy, is joined by Wayne Long, MP for Saint John-Rothesay, with a new level 2 electric vehicle charger installed in the Market Square parking garage in Saint John. Image: Saint John Energy
Powering up an electric vehicle in Saint John is about to become easier thanks to a partnership with some city businesses and Saint John Energy.
Eight new Level 2 EV chargers have been announced for various locations throughout the city, all part of a wider project to bring charging stations to communities across the Maritimes.
The announcement also comes as the price of regular self-serve gasoline hit a record $1.827 per litre for New Brunswick drivers this week.
“We are pleased to have had this opportunity to work with community-minded businesses to make EV charging more convenient in Saint John,” said Ryan Mitchell, the president and CEO of Saint John Energy. “We know that the more accessible and affordable we provide access to cleaner energy solutions, the more likely people will make the transition.”
Each station is equipped with two dedicated parking stalls and two charging ports with separate connectors.
The stations are owned and serviced by Saint John Energy and will all be available for public use with users charged by the hour, while their electric vehicle is connected to a station port.
The eight charging stations are part of a larger project investment of $1.1-million for Saint John Energy to lead the installation of 99 Level 2 EV chargers across the Maritimes, with its regional partners.
Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program partially funded the project with an investment of $490,000.
All of the chargers will be linked to the ChargePoint network, allowing drivers to use the ChargePoint app or card to pay for their charge.
It was also announced Wednesday that the new stations are already visible on ChargePoint public network locator maps.
The Level 2 chargers use 240-volt AC “J” plugs and each Saint John Energy charger will accommodate any type of electric vehicle, though information from Saint John Energy noted some models, such as Tesla, will need an adapter to match to the “J” style plug.
Charging stations cost about 2.5 cents per minute to use, where an hour of charging can add about 50 kilometres of range to a vehicle, all coming at a total cost of about $1.50 per hour.
“We know from our survey last fall, Saint John electric car owners are more likely to charge up at home,” said Mitchell. “This service allows a quick top-up while people are out shopping, enjoying a game or coffee and also provides the ability for out-of-town visitors to top-up their vehicles.”
The eight new charging stations are located at:
● TD Station – 99 Station St.
● Market Square – 1 Market Sq.
● East Point Starbucks – 15 Depot Ct.
● East Point near Indigo- 41 Fashion Dr.
● Moosehead Small Batch Brewery – 9 Main St. West
● Simply for Life & UStation – 643 Rothesay Ave.
● Saint John Energy head office – 325 Simms St.
● Saint John Energy substation – 90 Paradise Row
Tyler Mclean is a reporter with Huddle, an Acadia Broadcasting content partner.
