Rivian’s R3 electric crossover turned heads at last year’s Everything Electric show in Vancouver. Rivian will be back as an exhibitor along with the likes of KIA, Toyota, Lexus, Audi, GM, Ford, Subaru, Mini, Lucid and Nissan. (Photo courtesy rivian.com)
Experts take on hot topics, including home batteries, at world's leading EV show
What started out as a celebration of electric vehicles is now so much more. You can tell by looking at the list of topics and speakers featured on expert panels over the three days of Everything Electric Vancouver.
Almost half of the 35 theatre sessions at the September 5 to 7 event at the Vancouver Convention have little or no focus on electric passenger cars. Many are about home energy use and smart home technologies, a number look at electrification impacts on the likes of mining, ports, ferries, and freight. And then there are other electric "vehicles," from scooters and bikes to trucks and buses.
Did you know? You can get your half-price entry tickets to Everything Electric Vancouver by using the discount code BCH2025EV. And when you arrive at the show, don’t forget to speak to one of our home energy experts at one of our booths.
Members of our EV team will be on hand to update you on the expansion of the our EV fast charging network, including the rollout of 180-kilowatt (kW) and up to 400 kW fast chargers in B.C.
Interested in EVs? There's lots of that, too
If you're interested in electric vehicles, you're far from alone. A recent Canada-wide survey conducted by BC Hydro showed that 42% of British Columbians either already own an EV or want to buy one.
For you, Everything Electric Vancouver is a smorgasbord that tantalizes with the presence of hundreds of EVs, including more than 20 to test drive on the first floor of the show. There are also live EV reviews, and a micro-mobility test track where you can test ride scooters, bikes, and skateboards.
Panel will focus on the now and future of home batteries
BC Hydro's Kari Montrichard is one of seven of our experts on panel discussions at the show – we're the show's major sponsor – and she's sitting alongside along a couple of battery tech entrepreneurs in a panel titled Home Batteries Demystified. It's a topic typical of what's happening at Everything Electric's shows around the world, and an obvious fit in a province embracing all aspects of electrification.
"I think that electrical utilities are still quite new in this area of home batteries, but some are further ahead than others," says Montrichard, who as our manager of capacity products leads an energy management solutions team. "In California, you'll see more batteries connected, mainly because of the solar battery connection piece, but also as a backup power option in the face of wildfires."
Our solar and battery storage rebates offer up to $5,000 toward the purchase of a home battery storage system, alone or in tandem with an up-to-$5,000 solar panel rebate. British Columbians are starting to install batteries not only for the storage of solar power generation. In areas more prone to power outages, a home battery can be the difference between a dark home and one that has the power to run all essential equipment.
We're also offering homeowners incentives and rewards for allowing us to switch their homes to battery use at times of peak usage. These "demand response" initiatives include Peak Saver, where you can earn rewards for enrolling smart home devices including home batteries, networked EV chargers, smart thermostats, and water heater load controllers.
"Ten years from now, we hope to have a whole fleet of batteries connected so that our system operations team can use them to help manage localized power needs," says Montrichard. "They'll likely be in places where it really helps the customer. Folks who live in rural communities such as on the Gulf Islands, northern Vancouver Island and the eastern Kootenays, where there might be a higher incidence of power outages, it can be a great option."
Take a look at the wide variety of panel discussions at Everything Electric Vancouver, including these topics that also feature a BC Hydro expert:
- Running a Greener Business: Can Electrification Boost Your Bottom Line?
- Keynote Fireside Chat: Powering B.C.'s potential
- Fleet Electrification: From Light Vans to Buses and Heavy Duty Trucks
- Connected, Electric, Smart. How AI is Redesigning the Homes and Cities of the Future
- Are We Ready? Electricity Demand and Grid Capacity for the EV Boom
- Plug and Charge vs. Charge Anxiety: The Next Evolution in EV Convenience