Vancouver Island has always been known for its beautiful nature, majestic parks, diverse wildlife, and kind people. However, the island is now in the spotlight for being one of the best places in Canada to own an Electric Vehicle (EV), and here are some reasons why.
History
Before jumping to the reasons, let’s take a step back and understand the history of EVs in Vancouver Island and why it is so relevant.
Although Canada’s first electric car is said to be from 1893, it took a long time to get to the point we are at now. EVs only started to show up in Victoria, Nanaimo, and the Cowichan Valley after 2012, when Tesla switched its production to focus more on its model S, making it easier to fulfil the EV dream. Not only until 2015, however, they became more common because of government actions, such as the Paris Agreement establishment and the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Alliance, and an increase of public knowledge, due to the constant presence in the media. From that moment on, EVs were all over the island, which contributed to BC being recognized as the EV capital of North America according to the 2021 Zero-Emission Vehicle Update, where EV sales rates lead all other Canadian provinces and all U.S. states.
From 2022, it gets easy to look back and see why Vancouver Island became such a remarkable place for EV owners. Having that in mind, here are our top 4 reasons why.
Top 4 reasons why Vancouver Island is the perfect place to own an EV
1 – Growing charging infrastructure
No EV can survive without a charger, and that used to be one of the primary reasons why people wouldn’t buy one. Nowadays, however, this is becoming less of a problem and more of an advantage on the island, as public and private charging infrastructure are growing faster than regular rates. Nanaimo is a notable example of that, the city which has less than 100 thousand inhabitants has over 20 charging locations with multiple charging stations. This exciting growth makes it easier for people like you to travel around the beautiful Vancouver Island without having to worry about being out of battery.
2 – Connected EV community
If we could pick our favorite reason, this would be it. The charging infrastructure, number of EVs, presence in the media and the reason you are reading this article is because of the community of innovators and early adopters that embraced the EV lifestyle and popularized it. These incredible people are not only courageous, but determined and have made every effort to make sure you and me can have the best electric experience there is. Thanks to them, associations such as the Victoria EV Association were created across the island as a way of connecting EV owners and sharing experiences, which has blossomed a nurturing and welcoming environment for everyone interested.
3 – Rebates
As people transition from fossil fuel vehicles to EVs, a growing number of government entities across the country and across the world are offering considerable incentives to EV drivers to encourage EV adoption and wise energy usage. The government of British Columbia, being one of them, has a set of rebates for EVs and EV Chargers with few conditions, making the island even more ideal for EV owners. Here is how you can take advantage of rebates for home charging stations.
4 – Easy and fast home charger installs
Having a level 2 charger installed at home is necessary when owning an EV. It allows a dramatically faster charging experience, more features, and an overall better experience, but it hasn’t always been easy and fast to get them. Now, with True EV, you can get a level 2 home charging station installed in less than a week across the island with just a few steps! This, alongside the other reasons, makes Vancouver Island the perfect place to own an EV.
