In the preparation for summer travel, electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers have been installed at all 20 renovated ONroute stations along Ontario’s busiest highways — 400 and 401. Three additional rest stops in Maple, Ingersoll and Newcastle will undergo planned renovations between 2023-2025 and will have EV fast chargers installed at that time.
“With EV fast chargers now available at all 20 renovated ONroute stations along our province’s busiest highways it will be more convenient than ever this summer for workers and families to grab a coffee or a meal while charging their electric vehicle,” said Energy Minister Todd Smith.
All stations are now equipped with at least two EV chargers at each site, with busier areas equipped with more.
The Ivy Charging Network, a joint venture between Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation (OPG), is responsible for the installation, ownership, and operation of the fast chargers.
The chargers are available to all drivers on a pay-per-use basis and serve all vehicle types. Ivy’s fast chargers charge 40 cents a minute to charge an electric vehicle. With a fast charger most drivers can get a 150 km range of charge for as little as $7, depending on their vehicle.
“As the EV population grows more chargers may be added at each site,” the Ministry of Energy said in a statement.
As of May 2023, there are more than 118,000 EVs registered in Ontario, including both battery-electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). By 2030, there are expected to be more than one million EVs on the road in Ontario.
The government also launched a new Ultra-Low Overnight electricity price plan which will support EV adoption and reduce emissions. The new electricity pricing structure is a third option for electricity customers, in addition to the existing Time-of-Use (TOU) and Tiered plans. Customers who use more electricity at night, including shift workers and those who electrically heat their home or charge their electric vehicle, could save up to $90 per year by shifting demand to the ultra-low overnight rate period when province-wide electricity demand is lower.
