Victoria Leaf Club Letter: Legislation Changes to Improve Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

Re: Legislation Changes to Improve Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

Dear Mayor & Members of Council

The roadway transportation sector currently accounts for 22% of all Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. If light duty vehicles were powered by electricity, total roadway GHGs could be reduced by 60%. Therefore the increased adoption of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure represents a key strategy in any plan to reduce emissions.

Electric vehicle sales continue to increase in BC. This week's announcement of the restoration of the BC electric vehicle purchase incentive program and the BC Scrap-It program will help to further increase the adoption rate of electric vehicles in BC. Continuous improvements in the availability of electric vehicle charging infrastructure are also needed.

To avoid higher future costs of retrofitting buildings or facilities for electric vehicle charging, the largest city in BC as well as many other jurisdictions in North America, have implemented changes to their building codes to require "rough-ins" of electrical conduit or wiring for electric vehicles.

An electric vehicle rough-in for single and two family units is estimated to add about $50 to the cost of a dwelling unit versus the $1,000 to $2,500 or higher cost of retrofitting electrical conduit and cable after construction. Electric vehicle charging rough-ins will also increasingly be viewed as a selling-feature as more families opt to have at least one electric vehicle.

Current BC Building code regulations include the ability for individual municipalities to opt-in to "Green" building code provisions such as the opt-in provision for roughed in conduit for roof top solar water panels. There are currently no optional provisions in the BC Green Building code for roughed-in conduit or wiring for electric vehicle outlets.

Electric vehicle rough-ins for Multiple Unit Residential Buildings or MURBS are more complex as parking spaces; are not necessarily designated for each unit, are usually remote from the dwelling unit power supply, and have higher potential electrification costs. Other jurisdictions have dealt with this issue by requiring a percentage of parking spaces in new multiple dwelling units to have rough-ins for electric vehicle charging.

The City of Vancouver was the first City in North America to include rough-ins for electric vehicle charging for both single and multiple family dwellings in their building code.

A second area for improving electric vehicle infrastructure is through the provision of charging facilities on commercial, industrial, and other non-residential properties. The ability for long distance travellers, employees, and visitors that are out-of-range of their home-based chargers to use conveniently-located charging facilities is also key to the more widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Such provisions should take into account local conditions and are best administered at the local municipal level. Some commercial developments have already recognized the need to provide for electric vehicle infrastructure, and the benefits of supporting electric vehicles as part of their commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

Determining charging infrastructure requirements is not an exact science and more definitive requirements are emerging as the rate of electric vehicle adoption and charging technology unfolds. There needs to be a balance between the costs of providing infrastructure and the benefits within the planning horizon.

The Victoria Leaf Club (VLC) represents electric vehicle owners of vehicles from all current manufacturers that offer vehicles for sale in BC. The VLC has conducted a review of the charging needs of current electric vehicles as well as the needs of new extended-range electric models expected to become available over the next few years. The VLC also reviewed the current charging infrastructure practices of other jurisdictions in formulated the recommended minimum charging requirements.

We therefore respectfully request that your Council give consideration to co-sponsoring and forwarding the attached resolution to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) and supporting the resolution for consideration by the Union of BC Municipalities.

Attached for the consideration of Council:

1. Draft resolution to the Minister of Housing and the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development for forwarding to the local government association and thence for consideration by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).
2. Q&A about electric vehicle charging infrastructure

There is also a PowerPoint Presentation on EV charging infrastructure needs at the following address: http://www.slideshare.net/gordonjames35728/legislation-changes-to-improve-bc-ev-charging-infrastructure-46238886

Yours very truly

per Fred Wissemann, President Victoria Leaf Club fredwiss@gmail.com

cc Jim Hindson, Infrastructure Development, Victoria Leaf Club jhindson@telus.net 37 additional BC Municipal members of LMLGA, SIGA and AVICC