Summerside aims to install 26 electric-vehicle charging stations by end of year

The City of Summerside is looking to install 26 new electric vehicle charging stations in the city and has issued a tender for the work.

Greg Gaudet, director of municipal services for the city, said this is one of Summerside's strategies "to help with offsetting transportation greenhouse gas emissions."

"We want to try and be a green and conscientious environmental community," he said.

The plan is expected to cost just over $200,000. The chargers will be located in the downtown core and around the boardwalk.

Gaudet said the city is looking to install Level-2 chargers, which take more time to fully charge a vehicle than Level-3.

The idea is to allow people to "leave a vehicle and go do an activity for a while while their car gets a top-up."

"It really is a pilot," he said.

"And it's really meant to promote the use of electric vehicles throughout the community."

Providing data

Currently, there are about 30 chargers spread throughout Summerside. But Gaudet said these new ones are "the next generation."

"They can be remotely controlled," he said, adding that because their activity can be logged, they will also provide data on how often they are used.

"We'll have a better idea on the need in the community and whether or not we expand and possibly retrofit our older chargers to the newer style."

Gaudet said the plan is to install them by the end of December. Otherwise, the community will have to wait until next spring.

"Summerside has always tried to facilitate the market of electric vehicles," he said. "We're really looking forward to it."

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