US & Canada to establish charging corridor
The USA and Canada are creating a cross-border charging corridor for electric vehicles. It will run for around 1,400 kilometres between Kalamazoo, Michigan and Quebec City in Canada.
The plan is to provide charging options at intervals of 80 kilometres, including at least one DC CCS fast charger at each location. As mentioned above, the corridor will run a total of 1,400 kilometres from Quebec City to Kalamazoo, linking Montreal, Toronto and Detroit with charging infrastructure. The new initiative was introduced by Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra and US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at an event in Detroit.
A total of 215 charging stations are planned, 61 between Detroit and Toronto and 154 between Toronto and Quebec City. The organizers write of the 215 stations being built along Canadian highways, although it remains unclear exactly how many stations will be built in the USA. Considering that the stretch from Kalamazoo to Detroit only runs for 225 km, the majority of the new stations will have to be installed north of the border.
“Canada and the United States have built the world’s largest market-based energy trading relationship, which provides a firm foundation as we strive to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions,” Alghabra said in a statement after making the announcement Tuesday. “This first cross-border alternative fuel corridor will help drivers to travel across the border and charge or refuel worry-free. It contributes to bringing us another step closer to making our air cleaner while helping people save money on traditional fuels.”
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure has been on a steady expansion course recently in Canada, as a loan was issued by the Canadian Infrastructure Bank to double the FLO charging network by 2027 in April. In March, the retail chain 7-Eleven had announced plans to set up a charging network across the US and Canada as well. The government of Quebec had also recently announced a $60 million investment to expand charging infrastructure in the region as well.
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