Electric vehicle chargers will remain free to use through the rest of 2021 after a successful pilot project through the first half of the year. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

CHARGED UP

Nanaimo Airport’s EV chargers to remain free through 2021

Jul 12, 2021 | 11:27 AM

NANAIMO — A successful trial period is being extended for Nanaimo Airport’s new electric vehicle chargers.

Four stations were installed in February in the airport’s parking lot and rental car area in a bid to capture some of the 25,000 vehicles driving past the airport on a daily basis. They’ll stay free to use through the rest of 2021.

Airport CEO Dave Devana said in a release the stations were used over 1,300 times in the five months since they came online.

“Our fast-charging stations help encourage the adoption of zero-emission vehicles by providing Islanders with more options on their roads,” Devana said. “They’re an added convenience for people using Nanaimo Airport and together we’re reducing pollution while embracing sustainability.”

Estimates suggest over 7,700 litres of gas was saved as a result of vehicles using the stations, with 18.1 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions avoided.

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It’s the equivalent of planting over 400 trees and letting them grow for 10 years or taking just under six cars off the road for a year.

Natural Resources Canada’s Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative provided $200,000 in funding for the project in late 2020.

The province added an extra $100,000 through their CleanBC program. Nanaimo Airport chipped in the remaining $100,000 to complete the project.

The high-capacity stations add to a growing network of stations across central Vancouver Island.

Several were added to Nanaimo and Oceanside in the last two years, including the recent announcement of stations at the Snaw-Naw-As gas station in Nanoose.

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alex.rawnsley@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley