They probably aren't networked yet, but others have had luck including a Leaf, Bolt, Kia Soul and Tesla. Next time I am out I will try, sounds like you just have to plug it in according to the last check in:
https://www.plugshare.com/location/282001
BC Hydro stations
- Thread starter SkookumPete
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https://www.plugshare.com/location/282001
R P
Well-Known Member
I am planning a longer trip next month to eastern BC and may take the Kona. But they have less free fast chargers out that way. Some of the BC Hydro stations charge $18/hr, according to plugshare. Does that mean I have to preload my BC Hydro EV account with money before I can charge, or will it draw automatically from a linked credit card?
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but so far have never had to pay for a charge. Also, I thought BC Hydro could charge by the kWh, so what's with the $18/hr.
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but so far have never had to pay for a charge. Also, I thought BC Hydro could charge by the kWh, so what's with the $18/hr.
Some of the machines in the Kootneys are supplied by Fortis B.C. (used to have to use a FLO card (or app) but it looks like now they accept BC Hydro Cards (and app) as well as chargepoint ($0.30/ minute). No connection to credit cards yet, so load up your BC. Hydro account and you should be good to go:
BC Hydro EV network
I have a small amount of funds ($25-$35) on account with Chargepoint, Flo and B.C. Hydro already in preparation for the inevitable.
Petro Canada accepts debit, credit cards as well as Apple pay and Google pay.
Anticipated cost from B.C. Hydro will be (hopefully) $0.27/minute as discussed earlier in this thread starting in April/21
R P
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I would hate to preload the account in case I won't need it. There are also free DC chargers out there, but few and far between, and could be busy or broken down. Just doing some planning, incl plan B's. Wife wouldn't be happy (neither would I) if we got stuck somewhere out of charge. And we are on a tight timeline on our way out there. Have dinner reservations at our destination.
That looks like a fun ride. Keremeos seems to be the last free charger. Looks like you will probably have to pay once in Nelson, or before. There is a free station in Castlegar at Kalawsky Chevrolet (25kW), that might give you enough charge to get to your hotel. Looks like it could be a mostly free trip!
R P
Well-Known Member
My plan was to also top it up at Anarchist Mtn rest area, just past Osoyoos. And then the Castlegar one. Will see. There are more paid ones, if I need it. But hate to break my streak of never having to pay for a charge. Have to get to Ainsworth by 6 pm at latest for dinner reservation. So hope won't have to wait anywhere to charge. And my wife doesn't like to get up early to leave...
On the way back, I can leave Ainsworth with a 100% charge, free for guests. And doesn't matter how late we get home. So that leg will be easier.
On the way back, I can leave Ainsworth with a 100% charge, free for guests. And doesn't matter how late we get home. So that leg will be easier.
R P
Well-Known Member
Just got back from Ainsworth yesterday, after a wonderful time with the family (incl grand kids) at the resort. Sure is nice to go to a place where everyone is smiling and happy to be outside, AND not wearing masks (in the pool and hot springs area). They had the place restricted to guests only and closed to the public, so no problem social distancing. We hadn't been there for many years, and first time for the kids and grand kids. But it hasn't changed much (which is good), and it is a very beautiful location overlooking Kootenay Lake.
The free L2 charger there is for the use of guests only, and only electric cars there were our Kona, and my son's Tesla. We arrived with low charges, so worked out well to get them charged up again, and we left with 100% full charges to start the return trip.
This was the first long trip with the Kona, 1600 kms return which incl some side trips while there. The car performed very well, even better than expected. Drove 105 -110 kph most of the way, as was not worried about range with all the free chargers located where I never had to go below 100 kms range. And yes, kept my free charging streak alive, no problem at all actually.
The critical location was Keremeos, as there is only one 50kW station, but luckily it was free both ways. I did screw up once, though. On the way back, we went for lunch at the next door diner and came back, and it was not charging. Tried to restart the charge it gave errors. Tried to turn the car on/off and got a bunch of errors, can't remember the exact wording, something like "electrical system fault", and I thought uh oh. So I unplugged the car, and got it turned off. Then I restarted the charge, and it worked, no more issues. So we wasted 45 min at that location.
I am not sure exactly what went wrong. But I suspect it was my own doing. Before we went for lunch, and after the charge had started, I turned on the car (ACC mode) to check with the nav how far it was to our next destination. I thought I shut it off before locking and walking off. But maybe not... In any case, it was not charging when we got back. Thankfully, everything got back to normal though.
Most of my fast charging was only to 70%, as I noticed the charge rate started to taper down after that, and that was always enough to make it to my next destination. So minimizing our stop time took priority. But it worked out well, as we timed our long stops for breakfasts and lunches. We did a short stop in Castlegar at the Chevy dealer as well to charge up a bit to ensure we could make it to Ainsworth. When we arrived there was a new Bolt (sold sign on the window) charging there. So I asked the service guy how long it would be charging, and he very graciously unplugged the Bolt, and let us do our charge. Very nice of them. And kind of ironic that right across the street there is a Hyundai dealer, with no fast charger.
Weather was great too, sunny all the way up and while at the resort. The return trip had showers in the forecast in the forecast and we were a little worried about getting over the high passes. But no problem, there was a dusting of snow up on Paulson Pass in the morning, but road was wet, but clear of snow. Rest of the return trip was mostly sunny, until we got home where we encountered some rain showers.
I did discover something new though with the cruise control. I had it set to 105 or 110 kph most of the way. Not many straight stretches in the mountains, though, and lots of curves where the sign said to slow to 80 or even 70 kph. I tried to take them as fast as I could, though, before touching the brake to get out of cruise. However, on most I did not have to kill cruise and the car handled the 80 kph curves on its own. What surprised me though, is that the cruise control slowed it down on some of the sharper curves. Not a lot, maybe 5 kph, but just enough to safely do the curve. I can only figure that it must use a G sensor for that, and at some level it would slow the car. Or maybe it used the camera for that.
Also, when I first got the car new, it didn't like me throttling past the set cruise speed for a short time while passing. It would surge and buck. Now it doesn't do that anymore. So my guess is that was fixed with one of the recall software updates. Also have not had any premature braking for a long time either. Maybe that was fixed, too, as I don't think I changed my driving style that much. I still get that beeping sometimes if I come up too fast behind someone, but no more slamming on of the brakes, like it was doing when it was new.
Anyway, it was a great trip, and like my car even more now, if that is possible.
The free L2 charger there is for the use of guests only, and only electric cars there were our Kona, and my son's Tesla. We arrived with low charges, so worked out well to get them charged up again, and we left with 100% full charges to start the return trip.
This was the first long trip with the Kona, 1600 kms return which incl some side trips while there. The car performed very well, even better than expected. Drove 105 -110 kph most of the way, as was not worried about range with all the free chargers located where I never had to go below 100 kms range. And yes, kept my free charging streak alive, no problem at all actually.
The critical location was Keremeos, as there is only one 50kW station, but luckily it was free both ways. I did screw up once, though. On the way back, we went for lunch at the next door diner and came back, and it was not charging. Tried to restart the charge it gave errors. Tried to turn the car on/off and got a bunch of errors, can't remember the exact wording, something like "electrical system fault", and I thought uh oh. So I unplugged the car, and got it turned off. Then I restarted the charge, and it worked, no more issues. So we wasted 45 min at that location.
I am not sure exactly what went wrong. But I suspect it was my own doing. Before we went for lunch, and after the charge had started, I turned on the car (ACC mode) to check with the nav how far it was to our next destination. I thought I shut it off before locking and walking off. But maybe not... In any case, it was not charging when we got back. Thankfully, everything got back to normal though.
Most of my fast charging was only to 70%, as I noticed the charge rate started to taper down after that, and that was always enough to make it to my next destination. So minimizing our stop time took priority. But it worked out well, as we timed our long stops for breakfasts and lunches. We did a short stop in Castlegar at the Chevy dealer as well to charge up a bit to ensure we could make it to Ainsworth. When we arrived there was a new Bolt (sold sign on the window) charging there. So I asked the service guy how long it would be charging, and he very graciously unplugged the Bolt, and let us do our charge. Very nice of them. And kind of ironic that right across the street there is a Hyundai dealer, with no fast charger.
Weather was great too, sunny all the way up and while at the resort. The return trip had showers in the forecast in the forecast and we were a little worried about getting over the high passes. But no problem, there was a dusting of snow up on Paulson Pass in the morning, but road was wet, but clear of snow. Rest of the return trip was mostly sunny, until we got home where we encountered some rain showers.
I did discover something new though with the cruise control. I had it set to 105 or 110 kph most of the way. Not many straight stretches in the mountains, though, and lots of curves where the sign said to slow to 80 or even 70 kph. I tried to take them as fast as I could, though, before touching the brake to get out of cruise. However, on most I did not have to kill cruise and the car handled the 80 kph curves on its own. What surprised me though, is that the cruise control slowed it down on some of the sharper curves. Not a lot, maybe 5 kph, but just enough to safely do the curve. I can only figure that it must use a G sensor for that, and at some level it would slow the car. Or maybe it used the camera for that.
Also, when I first got the car new, it didn't like me throttling past the set cruise speed for a short time while passing. It would surge and buck. Now it doesn't do that anymore. So my guess is that was fixed with one of the recall software updates. Also have not had any premature braking for a long time either. Maybe that was fixed, too, as I don't think I changed my driving style that much. I still get that beeping sometimes if I come up too fast behind someone, but no more slamming on of the brakes, like it was doing when it was new.
Anyway, it was a great trip, and like my car even more now, if that is possible.
Last edited:
BC-Doc
Member
Fresh off the press— the free lunch is coming to an end here in Lotus Land. 
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releas...vehicle-fast-charging-stations-877206243.html
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releas...vehicle-fast-charging-stations-877206243.html
Fresh off the press— the free lunch is coming to an end here in Lotus Land.
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releas...vehicle-fast-charging-stations-877206243.html
Did you notice the letter was signed by someone named "VanLoon"?
I hope they put the funds they collect into installing more fast charging stations. Does BC Hydro have an email address for communication suggested future fast charger locations? I couldn't find one. I'll ask VanLoon.
These are the interim rates. BC Hydro has applied to the BCUC to make these same rates permanent ($0.12/min @50 kW and $0.27/min @100kW). The company's application document (https://www.bcuc.com/Documents/Proceedings/2021/DOC_61620_B-1-BCH-EV-FC-Rate-Application.pdf) says they're unable to charge by electricity usage, which is what their surveys say the large majority of users would prefer, because there is no relevant international standard to measure it. If, like me, you feel that a time-based charge is inherently unfair, you have until May 17th to send a letter of comment to the Secretary of the BCUC at [email protected].Fresh off the press— the free lunch is coming to an end here in Lotus Land.
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releas...vehicle-fast-charging-stations-877206243.html
R P
Well-Known Member
A couple weeks ago, I noticed that a lot of BC Hydro stations said on plug share they would start charging the new rates on May 1. But I see now that many have removed that, and no mention of the new charging rates. So maybe they will remain free until the final BCUC decision?
FYI - it's actually $0.21 per minute at 50kW, not 12 cents. Too bad.