During its April 5 Regular Council Meeting, Penticton City Council approved a graduated fee for electric vehicle (EV) charging rates resulting in free charging for the first two hours and $2.00 per each hour after.
Following a year of free and regular usage (5,886 charging hours over 1,931 sessions), in November 2020 Council elected to introduce a charge of $2.00 per hour for level 2 EV charging. At the time, the fee of $2.00 per hour was forecasted to cover the costs of the site and to include a small amount of revenue. The $2.00 per hour fee was implemented on Jan. 1, 2021. However, a reduction in the usage in 2021 prompted further review and consideration of the fee.
“It’s estimated that transportation based emissions account for 55 per cent of Penticton’s overall community generated emissions,” says Community Sustainability Coordinator, David Kassian. “Providing EV charging stations is one method to encourage electric vehicle use and reduce community generated greenhouse gas emissions.”
The City currently owns four level 2 EV charging stations located at 307 Ellis Street with the planned expansion of the network to include two additional stations at City Hall by late April as part of the parking lot upgrade. These stations will have the same fee for use as the stations at 307 Ellis Street.
“The Community Sustainability Advisory Committee played a large role in shaping this recommendation, guided by the principles of the 2021 Community Climate Action Plan, which encourages the provision of public EV charging infrastructure at a cost effective rate to encourage EV uptake.”
The approximate net cost in 2021 to operate the EV charging station was $3,575, which reflected a revenue of $2,603. While it is difficult to forecast the impacts of the new rate, it is expected that these fluctuations can be addressed within the City’s existing budget.
Residents can learn more about how the City of Penticton is actively taking steps to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by visiting www.penticton.ca/sustainability.