Online toolkit for communities to successfully own and operate a Level 2 EV charger.
Congratulations!
Your community is the new owner/operator of one (or perhaps several!) public Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. We want to make sure your municipality (staff and elected officials) has all the information needed to benefit from electric travel. This includes understanding how to own and operate the charging stations as well as increasing your knowledge and understanding of EV technology in general. This way you can act as local EV ambassadors and educators with residents and tourists and help encourage EV adoption in your community.
Level 2 chargers are simple for drivers to use, easy for a community to operate and require minimal upkeep and maintenance. Since they are often centrally located and a cheaper charging option for drivers than fast charging stations, EV tourists are more likely to plug-in and stay a while in your community, visiting local amenities, attractions, shops, restaurants and cafes.
How to use the toolkit
There is a lot of information about EVs on the internet. We've customized this content to be specifically relevant to BC local governments who own and operate a Level 2 charging station as part of Charge North and the Mid Island EV network. There are four main topics:
Intro video
Upcoming Events:
Webinar dates will be here
Section 1: About your Level 2 charger
Level 2 chargers are simple for drivers to use, easy for a community to operate and require minimal upkeep and maintenance.
Owning and operating a Level 2 charger is quite simple. Your municipal responsibilities include:
- Ensure it is accessible (physically) 24/7, this could include efforts such as snow clearing, ice removal, etc.
- Physically checking on the unit(s) from time to time to inspect for vandalism, damage and garbage pick up
- Paying the annual fee to ChargePoint
- Paying the warranty fee
- Budgeting to replace the unit in 10-12 years when it reaches retirement
- Contacting the network provider if repairs are required or issues arise. All with the intent of keeping the station ‘online’ (available for drivers to use) as much as possible.
Your Level 2 charger is a "smart" charger which means it is connected to a network and is why you pay an annual network fee. One benefit to owning and operating a networked charger is that you can check in on user statistics and charge drivers/users a fee.
Checking in on station usage will give you a good idea of the amount of energy being provided, the number of unique users to the station. This can guide decisions about user fees and even adding chargers as needed.
From a driver side, a networked station is more reliable as visiting EV drivers can confirm the station is online and if it is in use at any given time.
Owning and operating a Level 2 station should be relatively simple, but of course it’s good to be prepared for any issues that may arise. A good first place to start is with the network operator, ChargePoint. Because your charging station is a networked unit, the network operator will be able to assess specifically where the problem has occurred.
Your station was sited to maximize benefits to your community by providing visitors easy access to local shops, restaurants, cafés, and other amenities. That is, when visitors are plugged in, they are likely spending money in your community. Instituting a high fee could dissuade visitors from stopping in your community.
That said, as adoption increases in your region, instituting a reasonable fee helps dissuade drivers from parking for longer than necessary.
Section 2: EV Charging 101
An EV charger is that equipment that transfers electricity from the grid to the car battery. They are the equivalent of a gas pump that moves gas from the holding tank at the gas station to the fuel tank in your car. But rather than standing to pump gas into a car to power it, you just plug your car into the EV charger like you plugin your cell phone to charge. In both cases you're pulling electricity from the grid to recharge the battery.
There are three types of EV chargers, the primary difference among them is the rate at which they can provide electricity to the battery in a car:
Level 1
Level 1 is known as "trickle charging". All EVs come with a cordset that you can plug into any standard wall outlet. This is the slowest way to charge as it adds 5-10km of driving range per hour, but can still be adequate for many local commuters.
Level 2
Level 2 chargers are very common and can be found in places where drivers have access to amenities or activities. If you choose to stop at a Level 2 charger while travelling, you’ll likely plan to stop for over an hour or overnight (at a hotel, for instance). Level 2 chargers will add 30- 40 kms of range per hour. This means you can have a meal at a restaurant, take the dog or kids for a walk, go shopping or visit a tourist destination. In some cases, you can get your bike off the car and enjoy local trails!
The plug of a Level 2 charger is known as "J1772". All BEVs and PHEVs except Teslas this type of plug, and Tesla owners can use them with a small, inexpensive adapter.
CCS plug
CHAdeMO plug
Level 3/DCFC
Most people refer to Level 3 stations as DCFCs - Direct Current Fast Chargers. DCFCs are often sited close to highways or local amenities like a downtown core, perfect for plugging in and grabbing a quick bite to eat or visit a few stores. With the growing charging options, you can time your charging stop to coincide with a tourist break, a quick walk or just grab a meal or snack.
Fast chargers can add between 150 and 240 km of range per hour. There are a few factors that could affect charging speed. For example:
- your vehicle’s maximum charging rate
- the battery’s state of charge
- the temperature of the battery
Public fast chargers have two plug options: 1 "CCS" plug and 1 "CHAdeMO" plug but only one plug can be used at a time. A Tesla driver will need to buy an adapter to use a CHAdeMO plug, and there is no adapter for any make of model other than a Tesla to use a Tesla charging station.
There are many great apps and websites that show where chargers are in the region, province, country and beyond! Some of the most commonly-used apps/websites for finding stations are:
There are also great websites for planning charging stops, like ABetterRoutePlanner.com
When it comes to charging, it’s quite simple, just unhook the charging head from the station and insert it into the charging port on your car. It’s not all that different from plugging in your cell phone.
A note about Charging Station Etiquette:
Etiquette is important at charging stations. Charging speed will slow down as the battery fills up. This is done to avoid damage to your battery. It is courteous to unplug and move your vehicle as soon as you have the charge you need. This frees up the charger for the next user and is becoming increasingly important as more EVs are on our roads.
Good news – you have a SMART one!
Networked chargers, also known as “smart” public charging stations or connected stations, require the user to subscribe to a network. In most cases, registration for the app is free and fees only apply when the user plugs into a charger that has a fee applied. Drivers need a network-specific RFID (Radio frequency identification) card or the mobile app of the network to activate and use the charger.
The best part about networked stations is they can be viewed 24/7 via an app – this lets EV drivers plan their charging stops accordingly. They can see when a station is in use or is available for charging.
Your community will have one or several Level 2 chargers as a result of this project, so let’s take a closer look at Level 2 chargers.
- All types of EV’s can plug into Level 2 chargers.
- They are the most common public charger and would be the type you would typically install at home or at work.
- They require 240 V, similar to your clothes dryer, and deliver an 80% charge in approximately four to six hours.
- The amount of time it actually takes depends on how full the battery is when you start your charging session and how full you need it to be to get to your next destination.
What types of vehicles can charge at a Level 2 station?
All fully electric (BEV) or partially electric (PHEV) vehicles can charge at a Level 2 station. Different vehicle manufacturers have different charging connector types but Level 2 stations can accommodate all of them (Tesla owners will have to use and provide their own adapter).
Section 3: EV 101
An electric vehicle, also known as an EV, is powered fully, or partially, by an electric motor and battery pack. Every auto manufacturer in the world has an EV on the road right now or is close to releasing one, with many committed to electrifying their entire line-up over the next 10-15 years.
BEV, plug-in battery electric vehicle = no internal combustion engine, fully powered by an electric motor with zero tailpipe emissions.
PHEV, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle = internal combustion engine and electric ability to plug in. Extended range over BEV (fossil fuel + electricity), but smaller battery pack results in less electric range (20-80 km).
Electric vehicles currently come in all shapes and sizes, from small cars to mid-sized SUV’s and soon enough electric pick-up trucks will also be available from manufacturers such as Ford, Tesla and Rivian, among others.
- Save Money: Save money both in operating the EV as well as reduced maintenance – no oil changes, fewer parts, fewer things to go wrong.
For a 275km roadtrip, if you charge your BEV at home that trip will cost $6.75. In a gas car at $1.20/L the same trip will cost about $29 in an average gas car (8.7L/100km efficiency). - Clean energy: BC’s grid is 97% clean energy. Even though there is a higher environmental burden in manufacturing EVs, this is "paid off" after about 25,000 kms in BC. Even in a mixed grid like Alberta, EVs are so efficient that after driving 25,000 kms they produce fewer GHGs.
- Convenience: In an EV, you have a full ‘tank’ every morning – no surprise gas station stops, no standing in the cold on dark winter morning.
Warm up your car in the garage or outside for as long as you need! EV charging stations are also commonly located near local amenities, offering a chance to eat or sleep while you charge. - Efficient technology: The internal combustion engine of a gas car converts only about 20% of the thermal potential energy from the gasoline burned. The rest is wasted as heat. Compare this to an EV where a full 80-90% of the energy is used to move the car.
- Quiet & Fun: While you’ll still have road and wind noise, especially with winter studded tires. But there is no acceleration noise; power is available immediately but it's silent!
The smooth acceleration with the heavy battery mass distributed equally across all four wheels makes EVs very responsive and smooth (especially on windy rural highways). We’re so used to the power curve of the internal combustion engine that the smoothness of instant torque is just fun!
EVs use lithium-ion batteries, the same type of battery used in smartphones and laptops. EV batteries hold their charge for weeks at a time and are quick and easy to recharge. The biggest difference to EV batteries and those in other rechargeable electronics is that EVs have built in heating systems to keep the battery toasty even in the coldest BC winter! So an EV won't suddenly lose all charge like an cell phone can!
EV batteries are 90% recyclable and many companies are looking at re-purposing used-EV batteries for second-life energy storage. This means that at the end of your car’s life, the battery still has value; it can no longer serve as a car battery but still has the potential to act as electricity storage, like this example in Japan.
The price of batteries is dropping fast which is great news because the battery is the most expensive part of an EV. Many economists believe EVs will reach price parity with internal combustion engine cars by 2024.
Here are some Canadian EV fast facts you may be curious to know (initial list courtesy of PlugNDrive):
- There are more than 78,000 electric vehicles on the road in Canada and growing (2019)
- 29,519 in BC (2019)
- Driving an EV can save the owner between $1,500 - $2,000 per year on fuel and maintenance
- BC’s electricity is clean with the majority of our power coming from hydro meaning driving an EV can significantly reduce GHG emissions
- Canada has more than 5,000 public charging stations
- there are over 2,000 public places to charge an electric vehicle in B.C., including well over 100 fast-charging stations (source: Pluginbc.ca)
- EV drivers travel where they can charge
- At a Level 2 station, the average cost to charge per hour is $2.00.
Section 4. Communicating EVs in your Community
Now that your community has a new or another Level 2 charger, you may be pressed to provide more information about EVs and EV charging. You also may want to let your community know about this great new asset you have received. The sections below are links to videos, social media material, key messages and other tips for talking EVs in your community.
There are many great online resources to learn more about EVs, purchase incentives, etc: Plugin BC | Emotive BC | Electric Mobility Canada | Plug ‘N Drive |
To help you communicate on social media about your new Level 2 charger(s), we have created some images that you can share on social media as well suggestions for your social media posts. The images have been sized for each channel: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. If you want to add an image to your website, any version will work just fine.
Click the link to view. Right-click and "Save Link As" to download the image.
"Level 2 charging is an easy and convenient way to top up your EV"
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Suggested post content alongside this image: "<community name> has new electric vehicle chargers! The new Level 2 charger(s) can help visitors and locals alike top up their EV while they enjoy our community. Learn more about how easy it is to use this Level 2 charger in this video: <video link>. And to learn more about EVs in BC, visit https://www.emotivebc.ca #ChargeNorth #LiveElectric
"Level 2 chargers make it easy to shop, eat or sleep while you charge."
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Suggested post content alongside this image: "<community name> has new electric vehicle charger(s)! The new Level 2 charger(s) can help visitors and locals alike top up their EV while they enjoy our community. Learn more about how Level 2 charging stations can support local businesses in this video: <video link>. And to learn more about EVs in BC, visit https://www.emotivebc.ca #ChargeNorth #LiveElectric
"A smart, "connected" Level 2 charger makes it easy to plan roadtrips."
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Suggested post content alongside this image: "We have new electric vehicle charger(s) in <community name>! The new Level 2 charger(s) can help visitors and locals alike top up their EV while they enjoy our community. Learn more about the benefits of having a "smart" charger in this video : <video link>. And to learn more about EVs in BC, visit https://www.emotivebc.ca #ChargeNorth #LiveElectric
#LiveElectric branded social cards:
"Level 2 charging is an easy and convenient way to top up your EV"
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Suggested post content alongside this image: "<community name> has new electric vehicle chargers! The new Level 2 charger(s) can help visitors and locals alike top up their EV while they enjoy our community. Learn more about how easy it is to use this Level 2 charger in this video: <video link>. And to learn more about EVs in BC, visit https://www.emotivebc.ca #LiveElectric
"Level 2 chargers make it easy to shop, eat or sleep while you charge."
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Suggested post content alongside this image: "<community name> has new electric vehicle charger(s)! The new Level 2 charger(s) can help visitors and locals alike top up their EV while they enjoy our community. Learn more about how Level 2 charging stations can support local businesses in this video: <video link>. And to learn more about EVs in BC, visit https://www.emotivebc.ca #LiveElectric
"A smart, "connected" Level 2 charger makes it easy to plan roadtrips."
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Suggested post content alongside this image: "We have new electric vehicle charger(s) in <community name>! The new Level 2 charger(s) can help visitors and locals alike top up their EV while they enjoy our community. Learn more about the benefits of having a "smart" charger in this video : <video link>. And to learn more about EVs in BC, visit https://www.emotivebc.ca #LiveElectric
"Level 2 charging is an easy and convenient way to top up your EV"
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Suggested post content alongside this image: "<community name> has new electric vehicle chargers! The new Level 2 charger(s) can help visitors and locals alike top up their EV while they enjoy our community. Learn more about how easy it is to use this Level 2 charger in this video: <video link>. And to learn more about EVs in BC, visit https://www.emotivebc.ca #LiveElectric
"Level 2 chargers make it easy to shop, eat or sleep while you charge."
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Suggested post content alongside this image: "<community name> has new electric vehicle charger(s)! The new Level 2 charger(s) can help visitors and locals alike top up their EV while they enjoy our community. Learn more about how Level 2 charging stations can support local businesses in this video: <video link>. And to learn more about EVs in BC, visit https://www.emotivebc.ca #LiveElectric
"A smart, "connected" Level 2 charger makes it easy to plan roadtrips."
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Suggested post content alongside this image: "We have new electric vehicle charger(s) in <community name>! The new Level 2 charger(s) can help visitors and locals alike top up their EV while they enjoy our community. Learn more about the benefits of having a "smart" charger in this video : <video link>. And to learn more about EVs in BC, visit https://www.emotivebc.ca #LiveElectric
Poster: 8.5"x11" "Charging an EV" (colour)
Brochure: Charge North - EV Myths (Tri-fold, colour)
Brochure: Charge North - EV Myths (Tri-fold, colour) *for professional print
Booklet: Electric vehicles available in BC (Emotive)
- There are more than 30,000 electric vehicles in British Columbia. By supporting in EV charging we are ensuring that anyone can visit and enjoy our community.
- Electrifying transportation is one of the most impactful things rural communities can do to decrease GHG emissions from transportation - especially in BC where our grid is over 96% 'clean'.
- Level 2 public chargers are a cost-effective way to support EV tourism and local EV adoption.
- Electric vehicle tourism is a real opportunity for our local businesses.
The best resource for residents of BC is PluginBC.ca
Your community has the option to apply a fee at your Level 2 station so that the EV owner pays for the cost associated with the electricity used (measured in kilowatts) to charge their car. A fee for use can prevent drivers from leaving their car parked in a stall long after it has finished charging, preventing others from using it.
How much did the purchase and installation of the Level 2 station(s) cost the municipality?
73% of the station costs were paid for by provincial/federal grants. Your municipality paid the additional 27% per station, that works out to roughly $5,000 per station. The $5,000 per station is a great deal for the community as it includes:
- Level 2 station purchase and installation
- 5 years of operations, maintenance and network fees and
- all the project management and promotion work that runs the project
Keep in mind the station(s) were installed as part of a regional network to spur tourism and economic development, and the project forecasts the economic impact of these co-benefits to be greater than the initial investment of the community.
Many people have heard that drivers prefer Level 3 chargers, what are the benefits of installing Level 2 chargers?
- Increase tourist visits to community
- Encourage visits to local amenities
- Increase length of stays in community
- Low cost to own and operate for community
- Accelerate local EV adoption, locals won’t purchase EVs if they have to sacrifice what they can already do now in a traditional gasoline or diesel-fueled vehicle
This toolkit was developed by Community Energy Association (CEA) for local governments participating in the Level 2 Ev charging network projects (Charge North and Mid-Island networks). The goal is to provide local governments with materials to guide them through the project and increase their knowledge and understanding of EV technology and related benefits.
Acknowledgements
We gratefully recognize the funding support of Emotive's Community Outreach Incentive Program.
