EV charging hub site in the parking lot of Rock City Centre at 2980 Island Highway.
NANAIMO: BC Hydro has launched its most powerful electric vehicle (EV) fast charger yet at a brand new charging hub in Nanaimo, setting a new benchmark for speed and convenience on Vancouver Island.
The hub is located in the parking lot of Rock City Centre at 2980 Island Highway. It has two 400-kilowatt chargers, which can add up to 100-kilometres of driving to an average EV in about three minutes. In addition to being faster, the chargers also offer power sharing so two vehicles can charge together on the same unit and receive up to 200-kilowatts each. There are also two 180-kilowatt chargers, each capable of power sharing. This means up to eight EVs can use these four chargers at once. The site features chargers equipped with CCS, NACS, and CHAdeMO connectors in various configurations to accommodate a wide range of EVs.
"This new electric vehicle charge hub in Nanaimo continues 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 800 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."
BC Hydro also has two existing EV fast-charging sites in Nanaimo at the Nanaimo Convention Centre and the Real Canadian Superstore. These three sites now provide a combined 11 charging ports for EV users in the community.
"Nanaimo is proud to be part of this significant milestone to host Vancouver Island's first 400-kilowatt chargers in our public charging network," said George Anderson, MLA for Nanaimo-Lantzville. "These new BC Hydro chargers strengthen Vancouver Island's charging infrastructure and provide drivers with more confidence to choose zero-emission vehicles."
BC Hydro will add more 400-kilowatt chargers to its network in 2026. The adoption of EVs across British Columbia has increased significantly with more than 220,000 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.
"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 Nanaimo are part of our investment in electric vehicle infrastructure – supporting EV adoption, reducing range anxiety 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 400-kilowatt and 350-kilowatt chargers at some locations, capable of delivering up to 100 kilometers of range in just a few 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.
BC Hydro's provincewide fast charging network currently includes 829 charging ports at 180 sites in communities throughout B.C. 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