David Coon, MLA/Député

Article by CTV Atlantic

Officials in New Brunswick are hoping the installation of new, fast charging stations may help fast-track the province’s goal of having 20,000 electric vehicles registered by 2030.

The new chargers are able to recharge an electric vehicle up to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes.

Tom McLean has been driving an electric car for three years and he says it’s so efficient, he will never go back to another car.

“We can drive this for $2.00 for 100 kilometres,” says McLean.

There are only 100 electric cars registered in New Brunswick and McLean’s is one of them. He hopes a new network of charging stations along the Trans-Canada Highway will inspire more people to purchase them.

“We’ll be able to get to Moncton, to Woodstock, wherever we want to go. It’s much easier now. It won’t be a problem at all,” says McLean.

Tyler McLaughlin with Irving Oil says the installment is just the first of seven locations.

“We’re starting in Grand Falls and we’re working our way down the Trans-Canada all the way to the Aulac big stop,’ says McLaughlin.

“Natural Resources, as part of a larger infrastructure initiative, contributed half a million dollars. They contributed $500,000 to work with NB Power and partners like Irving Oil for the installation of a fast charging corridor,” says Matt DeCourcey, a New Brunswick Member of Parliament.

McLean says an electric vehicle rebate, like the one offered in Ontario, could warm people up to the idea.

“People will drive if they can go over that first barrier of a purchase price because after that they’re low maintenance and there’s a low cost of driving them,” says McLean.

New Brunswick’s climate change plan from late last year set a goal of having 5,000 electric vehicles on New Brunswick roadways by 2020 with a total of 20,000 by 2030.