EV charging hub at University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford campus at 1395 McKenzie Road.
ABBOTSFORD: BC Hydro has opened two new electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs in Abbotsford and Chilliwack with a combined 20 new charging ports to help support EV adoption in the Fraser Valley.
"These new electric vehicle charge hubs in Abbotsford and Chilliwack continue our work with BC Hydro and other partners to make cleaner options more accessible and affordable for all British Columbians," said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. "With more than 600 BC Hydro charging ports now available in communities throughout B.C., we are building a public charging network that's ready to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles and will support economic growth in our province."
The newest site is located at the University of the Fraser Valley's Abbotsford campus at 1395 McKenzie Road. It has four 180-kilowatt chargers, which can add up to 180-kilometres of driving to an average EV in about 10 minutes. In addition to being faster, the units also offer dual charging or power sharing, which allows two customers to use the same charger. For example, a 180-kilowatt charger can adjust to provide two 90-kilowatt charging units, which allows up to eight EVs to use these four chargers at once. There are also four Level 2 chargers for a combined total of 12 ports at the hub.
The second site is at the University of the Fraser Valley's Chilliwack campus at 5579 Tyson Road. It has two 180-kilwatt chargers and four Level 2 chargers and the hub can charge up to eight EVs at the same time.
EV charging hub at University of the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack campus at 5579 Tyson Road.
"We're expanding B.C.'s clean electricity supply and strengthening our provincial grid to power homes, businesses, industry and the future of transportation," said Charlotte Mitha, President and CEO of BC Hydro. "These new EV chargers in Abbotsford and Chilliwack are part of our investment in electric vehicle infrastructure – supporting EV adoption, reducing range anxiety in the Fraser Valley and helping more British Columbians transition to zero-emission driving."
BC Hydro is working to build a robust EV charging network across the province. Recent milestones include:
- Network expansion: In the past year alone, BC Hydro has tripled the size of its public charging network, adding 418 new charging ports.
- State-of-the-art hubs: About two-dozen new hubs have opened in every region of the province, each featuring 8 to 22 charging ports, to help minimize wait times for drivers.
- Next-gen fast chargers: BC Hydro deployed new 350-kilowatt chargers at some locations, capable of delivering up to 100 kilometers of range in just five minutes.
- Completion of the Electric Highway: With fast chargers placed about every 150 kilometers along major routes, the Government of B.C. completed the Electric Highway in September 2024. BC Hydro operates 111 of the highway's 155 charging locations, making up more than 70 per cent of the network.
The adoption of EVs across British Columbia has increased significantly with nearly 210,000 EVs on the road in B.C. As BC Hydro continues to build its fast-charging network, it plans to focus on building more hub sites with multiple chargers along highway corridors and highly populated areas to provide a faster and more convenient experience for its customers.
BC Hydro's provincewide fast charging network currently includes 655 charging ports at 148 sites in communities throughout B.C. BC Hydro plans to expand this to 800 charging ports by spring 2026. Later this year, BC Hydro will debut its first 400-kilowatt charger, offering 100 kilometres of range in just three minutes. The chargers are funded in a partnership with the Province of B.C. and Natural Resources Canada.
Contact:
BC Hydro Media Relations
Email: media@bchydro.com
Phone: 604 928 6468