Electric vehicle charging station (File Photo. Image Credit: CFJC Today)
ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

Kamloops council moves to make future residential developments EV-ready

Jun 14, 2022 | 4:21 PM

KAMLOOPS — If a zoning bylaw amendment is passed, starting next year all new residential builds in Kamloops will be required to be ready for electric vehicle (EV) charging. Kamloops city council moved to send a move to public hearing that would require one EV-ready outlet per unit in future developments in a regular council meeting Tuesday (June 14).

New residential development would have to have one pre-wired, energized electrical outlet capable of providing Level 2 EV charging for one parking space per dwelling unit. Residential suites and visitor spaces would be exempt.

Level 1 charging is a standard, 120-volt charger. Level 1 charging can provide one-to-five kilometres of range per hour of charging. Level 2 can provide a range of 20-to-100 kilometers per hour of charging.

The new builds would not need to have a Level 2 EV charger yet — but they would need to have the transformer, meter, panel, conduit and outlet ready to support one.

“When residential developments are built with EV-ready capabilities, a homeowner, occupant, or property manager will be able to install a Level 2 EV charger in the future without having to retrofit [or] upgrade electrical infrastructure, which can be a barrier due to its cost and complexity,” read the presentation to council.

Councillor Bill Sarai brought up that, during the heat dome last year, residents of some areas of B.C. were encouraged to save power and wondered if the power grid could handle all of that EV charging. Sustainability Director Glen Cheetham said BC Hydro had informed City staff that there would be enough power.