Electric Autonomy

Canadians “overwhelmingly satisfied” with EVs, access to charging a key purchase factor — Pollution Probe data reveals 86 per cent of Canadians would buy another EV with 74 per cent saying access to public charging a significant influence on their decision. ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ Public charging plays a significant role in future electric vehicles purchasing decisions for Canadians, finds a national survey published by non-profit organization, Pollution Probe, today. The annual Electric Vehicle Charging Experience Survey, conducted in partnership with the Mobility Futures Lab and with funding from Ressources naturelles Canada (RNCan)’s Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI), offers fresh insights into charging experiences of Canadian EV owners. The survey results are grouped into five categories: charging behaviour, network coverage satisfaction, network service satisfaction and network payment systems. New this year is a category examining how public charging influences EV owners’ future purchasing decisions. “Canadian EV owners appear to be overwhelmingly satisfied, with 86 per cent stating they would definitely purchase another EV in the future,” reads the survey report. Public charging plays a crucial role in future EV purchases, but its importance varies by owner type. For example, 74 per cent of drivers without home charging consider public charging access a key factor in their decision to purchase a future EV. Meanwhile, 64 per cent of home-charging EV owners see it as an important factor. Survey highlights More than 2,000 EV owners across Canada participated in the survey, providing insights into their charging experiences and the state of public charging infrastructure. Responses came from 10 provinces, with the highest representation from Quebec (44 per cent), Ontario (25 per cent) and British Columbia (14 per cent). Read the full story by Mehanaz Yakub: https://lnkd.in/ghmDxyM6 #ElectricVehicles #EVCharging #Canada

It’s a challenging time for the EV sector as it is buffeted by everything from doomsday headlines to political unrest. While automakers are under undeniable stress, there is a piece of good news: public charging station access in Canada has seen over an 24 per cent jump from March 2024 to March 2025. According to data from Ressources naturelles Canada (RNCan), in the last 12 months, Canada gained at least 6,586 new public charging ports at 1,559 new stations coast-to-coast-to-coast. That’s a 24.2 per cent increase year-over-year. In all, as of March 1, NRCan data reflects that Canadian EV drivers now have access to 33,767 public charging ports located at 12,955 public charging station locations across the country. Of those, 27,456 ports (11,087 stations) are Level 2 chargers, while 6,309 ports (2,192 stations) are DC fast chargers. On March 1 last year, by comparison, there were 22,246 Level 2 ports (9,605 stations) and 4,935 DC fast charger ports (1,791 stations). The current totals translate into a 23.4 per cent increase in Level 2 chargers and a 27.8 per cent increase in DC fast chargers in 12 months. Read the full story by Mehanaz Yakub: https://lnkd.in/gZvuZBK4 #EVCharging #ChargingNetworks #Canada

Do the jargon-packed EV charging proposals your condo has received leave you scratching your head? How do all the pieces — meters, chargers, conduit, panels, software — fit together? On May 15, at the EV & Charging Expo in Toronto, we'll tackle "EV charging for condos and strata: Making sense of the tech, costs and contracts" with Mark Marmer, Owner and Founder at Signature Electric. In this session, we'll demystify the technical side of condo EV charging, breaking down real-world installation scenarios, key decision points, and what to watch for in the fine print. You'll walk away with the knowledge to make confident, informed choices for your building. Join us for this and many other valuable sessions at #EVChargingExpo2025. For more information and to secure your ticket, visit evandchargingexpo.com #ElectricVehicles #EVCharging #MURB

SWTCH unveils new MURB smart EV charging system — The system, dubbed “SWTCH Cortex,” is already in operation at one Ottawa-area multi-unit residential building. ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ A new system for managing electric vehicle charging in multi-unit residential buildings is promising to significantly cut project costs and improve efficiency. SWTCH Energy, a Toronto-based smart EV charging solution provider, today announced the release of their new platform, Cortex. “There are two main challenges that we think exist for MURB charging,” says Carter Li, CEO of SWTCH. “One is the electrical infrastructure and the other is the network connectivity of these buildings. We’ve been trying to tackle this issue of MURB charging for the last decade. [Cortex] is the culmination of everything we’ve seen and tried to solve, all put together.” A “best of both worlds” system Li describes Cortex as a hybrid system that uses a combination of localized infrastructure and cloud-based services to manage EV charging. In doing this, SWTCH says it has not only made a more reliable platform, it has been able to cut labour and installation costs dramatically. All of this translates to increased access to charging for a greater number of MURB residents. “We can confidently say, after testing it for three years,” says Li, “there’s not a single building in Ontario, in places like MURBs, that cannot provide EV charging. As long as you have a 110V plug there’s enough power for us to coordinate charging.” Cortex is currently in operation at one of SWTCH’s partner buildings in Ottawa providing a real-life testing ground for the system over the past year. Meanwhile, SWTCH is installing Cortex in a 10-storey parking garage in Texas, in a move that, it says, will save the project tens of thousands of dollars. “I think the quote was something like $80,000 for labour just to provide connectivity to the levels. [With Cortex], they’re spending about $6,000 on the entire install. So we’re talking about a 10th of the cost of connectivity,” says Li. The cost savings come from the system’s hybrid local-cloud set up. Traditionally charging operators in MURBs rely on multiple WiFi access points, generally located where the chargers are. Cortex, however, uses a “home-base” micro computer on location that communicates with one WiFi access point located on each floor of the parking structure (called a SWTCH Echo) and also transmits the data continually to the cloud. In the event of the internet going down, says Li, the home-base computer stores all of the transaction and charging activity during the outage and is able to upload it to the cloud once connectivity is restored. Read the full story by Emma Jarratt: https://lnkd.in/gZvuZBK4 #ElectricVehicles #EVCharging #Canada

Carbon credits can be an important revenue stream for fleet charging owners, site hosts and chargepoint operators. On May 14, at the EV & Charging Expo in Toronto, take a deep-dive into "Carbon credits: What to expect in 2025 and beyond" with Dave Meyer, Director, Transportation Markets at 3Degrees Group, Inc. This seminar will provide an overview of the compliance market in Canada and the US, and a forecast for where the market will trend in the years ahead. You’ll also learn about voluntary credit markets that are providing novel ROI opportunities for electric freight carriers. Join us for this and many other valuable sessions at #EVChargingExpo2025. For more information and to secure your ticket, visit evandchargingexpo.com #ElectricVehicles #EVCharging #CarbonCredits

📣 Last chance to join us for a live webinar on "Powering Smarter Fleets: How managed charging cuts costs & boosts reliability". 📣 Our virtual panel discussion and Q&A starts in under an hour, and it's not too late to register! Integrating smart charging into your fleet electrification strategy can unlock significant cost savings—reducing both infrastructure upgrade requirements and ongoing electricity expenses. It also provides real-time control over energy use, vehicle readiness, and operational efficiency. This expert panel will explore how smart charging software enables fleets to minimize peak demand charges, shift to lower-cost electricity, and extend battery life. Gain actionable insights to optimize your fleet’s charging strategy and drive cost-effective, future-ready operations. Learn how to: 💡 Avoid demand charges 💡 Reduce costly utility upgrades 💡 Maximize cost savings 💡 Improve fleet reliability 💡 Tap into new revenue streams 💡 Prevent operational disruptions Managed charging can transform your fleet’s bottom line while ensuring seamless operations. Find out how! Our panel: 🔸 Jacob Rodgers, P.Eng., MBA, Manager Regional Engineering & Projects at Newfoundland Power 🔸 Stéphane Belair, VP Product and Engineering for Cleo at Polara 🔸 Santiago Spencer, Senior Data Scientist, Insights & Intg Consultancy, Geotab 🔸 Ilana Weitzman, VP of Strategic Development, Clean Transportation, Electric Autonomy (Moderator) Free registration via this link: https://lnkd.in/gDJ2wkar ⚡ Presented by Electric Autonomy in partnership with Cléo by Polara and TakeChargeNL as part of the EV Fleets Pro virtual event series. ⚡ #EVFleets #ElectricVehicles #EVCharging

Ressources naturelles Canada (RNCan) develops new tool for skilled worker training in EV sector — As Canada’s auto industry undergoes its biggest transition, governments look to future proof the sector’s labour force. ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has released a new online list of training programs across Canada that offer certification in zero-emission auto maintenance and repairs. The NRCan zero-emission vehicle technician training opportunities webpage is part of a larger package of initiatives launched by the federal government to encourage enrolment in the skilled trades, including automotive services, using financial backing through its Sustainable Jobs Fund. The concern is that Canada’s labour force lacks the new skills needed to support the country’s burgeoning electric vehicle industry. Users may search for training opportunities that are available either online or in locations near them. Users are also able to determine the kinds of skills they will learn and whether a program requires full or part-time attendance. Mind the (skills) gap The industry has found itself in the midst of a perfect storm of concurrent events: not enough auto technicians to meet demand; a relatively small number of workers skilled in electric vehicle assembly, maintenance and repair; and a steady rise in sales of zero-emission cars. All of which has caused industry insiders to raise concerns about sector stability. Canada’s auto industry labour pool shrank during the pandemic (operating revenue in maintenance and repair services declined by 5.3 per cent between 2019 and 2020) and has yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, according to data gathered by Statistics Canada. More notable, still, is the decline in national automotive apprenticeship registrations. In 2020, new registrations in automotive skills training programs fell by 35 per cent relative to the prior year. The shortage of skilled labour in repairs and maintenance, particularly for zero-emission vehicles, is creating a troubling number of job vacancies: as of Q3 2023, the auto industry reported 11,965 job vacancies versus 5,730 in 2021. Meanwhile, sales of battery-electric cars remain fairly robust. Statistics Canada | Statistique Canada reports that between 2020 and 2022, registrations for zero-emission vehicles rose by 135 per cent and plug-in hybrids by 79 per cent. Less rosy were sales figures for new gas vehicles which dropped by 6.6 per cent. Read the full story by Victoria Foote: https://lnkd.in/gAGFAU95 #ElectricVehicles #workforce #SkillsTraining

As EV adoption grows, condo boards and managers face growing pressure to approve charging requests from residents. Join us at the EV & Charging Expo 2025 on May 15 for a discussion about "Legal rights & policies for EV charging in condos and strata". This expert-led panel of lawyers will break down the rights of condo owners, the obligations of boards, and the legal frameworks governing EV charger approvals. Our panelists: • Travis Allan, Counsel at Gilbert's LLP Global • Adam Chamberlain, Partner at Gowling WLG • Cara Clairman, President and CEO at Plug'n Drive Understand the benefits of a building-wide strategy, and why ad-hoc installations can lead to legal disputes, infrastructure bottlenecks, and costly retrofits. Whether you are a property manager, board member, or resident advocate, learn best practices for navigating bylaws, avoiding common pitfalls, and developing policies that protect future property values while staying compliant with evolving regulations. For more information about #EVChargingExpo2025 and to secure your Expo Pass, visit evandchargingexpo.com #ElectricVehicles #EVCharging #MURB

NEW: Toronto Hydro, Ontario utilities launch interactive grid capacity maps — The new capacity maps offer EV charging providers a clear view of available grid capacity and help streamline infrastructure projects. ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ Ever wonder if your neighbourhood has enough capacity to support electric vehicle charging infrastructure? Some utilities in Ontario are making it easier to find out by offering interactive grid capacity maps that provide a high-level overview of the available electrical load capacity across the city. Toronto Hydro is the largest utility in the province to launch the new tool that may serve as inspiration and a blueprint for other jurisdictions in Canada looking to bring more visibility to the grid. “The map helps provide more visibility into distribution system capacity for those looking to understand how their connection assessment may vary based on their project specifications and geographical location,” write Lauren Harris, spokesperson for Toronto Hydro, in an email statement to Electric Autonomy. The publication of utility maps is part of an Ontario Energy Board initiative announced last year. The OEB is requiring all licensed provincial electricity distributors (LDCs) to provide customers with access to electricity distribution capacity information at both station and feeder levels. The overarching goal of the regulations is to enhance transparency for customers and support the growing electricity demand in Ontario. Around 61 LDCs operate across Ontario. At least 15 are now offering capacity maps. Read the full story by Mehanaz Yakub: https://lnkd.in/gbMw_3Ni #ElectricVehicles #EVCharging #ElectricGrid

⚡️ Join us tomorrow, March 20, for a live panel discussion and Q&A on "Powering Smarter Fleets: How managed charging cuts costs & boosts reliability". ⚡️ It's not too late to sign up, and registration is free. Integrating smart charging into your fleet electrification strategy can unlock significant cost savings—reducing both infrastructure upgrade requirements and ongoing electricity expenses. It also provides real-time control over energy use, vehicle readiness, and operational efficiency. Our expert panel will explore how smart charging software enables fleets to minimize peak demand charges, shift to lower-cost electricity, and extend battery life. Gain actionable insights to optimize your fleet’s charging strategy and drive cost-effective, future-ready operations. You'll hear from: ► Jacob Rodgers, P.Eng., MBA, Manager Regional Engineering & Projects at Newfoundland Power ► Stephane Belair, VP Product and Engineering for Cleo at Polara ► Santiago Spencer, Senior Data Scientist, Insights & Intg Consultancy at Geotab ► Ilana Weitzman, VP of Strategic Development, Clean Transportation at Electric Autonomy (Moderator) Together, we'll discuss how to: ✅ Avoid demand charges by scheduling sequential overnight charging instead of simultaneous high-power draws (peak shaving). ✅ Reduce costly utility upgrades by accurately predicting and managing real-time power needs. ✅ Maximize cost savings by leveraging time-of-use electricity rates where available. ✅ Improve fleet reliability with real-time monitoring, ensuring vehicles have the right charge for daily routes. ✅ Tap into new revenue streams through carbon credit programs and demand-response participation. ✅ Prevent operational disruptions by identifying and addressing charging issues before they leave vehicles stranded. It's a great opportunity to learn how managed charging can transform your fleet’s bottom line while ensuring seamless operations. Register now via this link: https://lnkd.in/gDJ2wkar This webinar is brought to you by Electric Autonomy, in partnership with Cleo and TakeChargeNL, as part of the EV Fleets Pro virtual event series. #EVFleets #ElectricVehicles #EVCharging