Nanaimo resident Rick Butzelaar bought an electric vehicle less than two months ago and the savings so far have been significant, but he doesn’t have a home charger and a recent bid by BC Hydro to increase public charging rates has him concerned.
When Butzelaar and his partner sold two gas-powered cars and bought an electric Volkswagen, he estimates they saved about $350 in the first month on fuel alone. The BC Utilities Commission has appointed a panel to consider the July 28 application and is currently accepting public comments. In its submissions to the utilities commission, BC Hydro says the proposed rate hike is “just and reasonable,” and will protect its other customers from the costs of providing power through public charging stations.
Jennifer Lactin of Vernon, B.C., said in a letter to the utilities commission that BC Hydro should be incentivizing people to use electric vehicles by providing subsidized charging rates. He said many people are curious about the costs of electric vehicle ownership, but “range anxiety” remains an issue, with confusion about how long a battery charge will last and how far it can take them.