Vancouver Island region to consider phasing out gas stations

Discussion in 'General' started by electriceddy, Aug 15, 2021.

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  1. "This week, the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) passed a resolution from Arbour, and asked staff to consider a rewrite of the district's zoning rules. The idea is to shift the focus of service stations from petroleum-based fossil fuels, to hydrogen fuel and electric vehicle charging.
    Existing gas stations wouldn't be forced to close, but would be considered "legally non-compliant" — and wouldn't be able to add new pumps. New service stations would be allowed to open, but not to provide petroleum-based fuels. "
    I would have expected something like this from Victoria, as they always seem to lead the way for the rest of the Island, but it looks like the Comox Valley is starting to set the pace now.;)
    The district is also looking at installing additional charging stations and parking incentives.
    Source:
    https://driveteslacanada.ca/news/comox-valley-considering-phasing-out-gas-stations/
    and
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/comox-valley-regional-district-phase-out-gas-stations-1.6139542
     
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  3. dunnle

    dunnle New Member

    I live in Sooke so I love this :)
     
  4. SouthernDude

    SouthernDude Active Member

    What is the point of doing this if EVs will eventually outsell ICE anyways?
     
  5. Probably to help it change over faster. To signal early and strong support for EVs.
     
    electriceddy likes this.
  6. As noted in the resolution from the director of the CVRD:

    "Arbour, a director with the CVRD, said this would promote a quicker transition away from fossil fuel burning vehicles to greener ones.
    he hopes a zoning change would nudge private companies, like gas stations, to invest in zero emission infrastructure too."
     
    mho likes this.
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  8. SouthernDude

    SouthernDude Active Member

    no. bans like this do not encourage EV adoption at all. All it does is eliminate competition for existing gas stations and it's just pointless virtue signalling anyways. It is better to just let EVs out compete ICE with zero government intervention.
     
  9. SouthernDude

    SouthernDude Active Member

    Why would banning new gas stations spur investment into charging stations? It's not like hotels put gas pumps in their parking lots already. All this does is eliminate competition for existing stations.
     
  10. There's no time for that.

    People will continue to do what they usually do until and unless it's really hard to do it anymore. People don't like change, and they don't like new technology unless it's use becomes easier than what they have now. Smartphones did that, EVs do not. They're not easier, and they're not cheaper, unless you wait 5-10 years for the cost savings to play out. Oh yeah, people don't like delayed gratification, waiting 5 years to appreciate the financial benefits of an EV.

    And, yeah, virtue signalling is sometimes a good thing, if it's accompanied by action -- signalling that a government (at any level) supports something can be important.
     
    Fastnf, electriceddy and John Lumsden like this.
  11. Agree above except that particular statement.
    Easy - plug in at home, no waiting at gas station- takes literally 3 minutes. When someone asks me "how long to charge?" that's what I tell them.
    Cheap - 1.25 cents/km (summer), 2 cents/ km (winter), try and beat that with an ICE
    Been driving EV for 9+ years now, so that higher cost of initial purchase has been offset (thank you Government incentives), also next to no cost for maintenance(compared to ICE):)
     
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  13. SouthernDude

    SouthernDude Active Member

    Yes, there's plenty of time. Quit listening to doomsday fear mongering.

    Explain how banning new gas stations will cause more people to buy EVs. You can't because it doesn't. It does nothing to existing stations and it won't significantly affect people's lives.

    Also, it doesn't make sense to push EVs when even you don't think the current state of technology is better than their ICE counterparts. It's clear that EVs will get cheaper over time and the technology will improve to out compete ICE over time. Just chill out. Delay your gratification. lol. Despite what you think about the state of EV technology, they all seem to sell very well.

    Pointless action is virtue signalling. That is what this is.
     
  14. SouthernDude

    SouthernDude Active Member

    Just tell them that the car charges overnight. No reason to be a smart-aleck about it.
     
  15. Why would I?
    I don't charge my EV overnight. That would be lying.
    I charge before I require the energy needed to get to my next destination. If charging at a DC location of course it reduces the time involved.
    The majority have a good laugh while I explain the different charging rates (AC or DC) according to pack sizes, on board chargers, charging curves, temperature, requirements, etc and usually opens the interest door in a positive manor;)
     
  16. Sure, after you get the electrician in to update your outlets, and unlike the 3 minutes at a gas station, it's hours at home. I'm a committed EV driver and those things don't bother me at all, but if you say to someone that they've got to check (and maybe update) their outlets at home and that they can't "refuel" in 3 minutes, people will think it's too much trouble. (And it's not cheaper for someone buying a car, even though it's cheaper in the long run because it's cheaper to run -- that goes to the instant gratification comment: people will say "is it cheaper NOW, I don't care if it will be cheaper in 5 years").
     
  17. I'm not listening to fear mongering, I'm looking around me and seeing what's clearly evident.
    Yes, it does nothing to existing stations and will have no effect on people living in well-established residential areas, but it will make it more difficult for people in newly residential areas to get gas, and that difficulty will make at-home "refueling" seem more attractive.
    Or it doesn't, if you don't own a house. I'm in my 3rd year of owning an EV without charging it overnight at home.
     
  18. Haha, sure takes more than 3 min to fill up at Costco, more like 20 min. But it is worth the wait... That how I look at my free EV fast charging time.
     
  19. SouthernDude

    SouthernDude Active Member

    lol. no you aren't. If you believe that there's no time to do anything then you are only paying attention to fear mongering. The same financial incentive to sensationalize and exaggerate things that plagues all media also affect all the climate news websites you read.

    No it doesn't; that's just what you want to happen. All it means is that people would just drive a couple miles further to where the gas stations already are. Hardly an inconvenience.

    In the US, drivers own homes or live in rental places that already have access to overnight charging.
     
  20. SouthernDude

    SouthernDude Active Member

    It's just dumb to say it only takes 3 min to charge when it clearly doesn't. It doesn't answer the person's question at all. And no, doing something else while waiting for the car to charge is not erasing the time it takes to wait on the car to charge.
     
  21. I thought he meant it took 3 months to connect it.
     
  22. Really? How do you know what I'm thinking? Actually, I've thought for years that we're long past time to do anything, and we're doomed within two or three generations, but a lot of people are telling me that there's still time to make meaningful changes in the speed of the oncoming climate disaster. I'm not sure I agree, but I'm trying to be more positive about it. I think anyone who hasn't looked at environmental issues around the world and considered the situation is wilfully blind, and those that have looked around and think that we're not going to get walloped across the head within the next 50 years or so in a way that will dramatically change our lives, if we live at all, is foolhardy.

    Really? You know that to be true, do you? Are you sure there aren't any EV drivers in the US that don't have charging at home? Do tell me how you know that :)
     
  23. SouthernDude

    SouthernDude Active Member

    no. He clearly meant 3 mins to charge it. It's that smart aleck "I don't count the minutes of charging if I'm doing something while it's charging" nonsense. It doesn't answer the question and it sounds like some gimmicky sales pitch. very lame and shouldn't be used.
     

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