EVwire brief: BC Hydro has surpassed 800 public EV charging ports across British Columbia and unveiled its highest-powered fast chargers to date at a new charging hub in Burnaby, marking a major milestone in the province’s expanding electric vehicle infrastructure.
The new fast charging hub is located at the BCIT Burnaby campus. It features two 400kW chargers capable of adding up to 100 kilometres (60 miles) of range in about three minutes for an average EV. These chargers also support power sharing, allowing two vehicles to charge simultaneously at up to 200 kilowatts each.
In addition, the site includes two 180kW chargers, each with power-sharing capability. Together, the four chargers allow up to eight EVs to charge at the same time. The hub supports CCS, NACS, and CHAdeMO connectors, accommodating a wide range of electric vehicles currently on the road.
The fast charging hub’s central location near Highway 1 will help strengthen charging infrastructure across the Lower Mainland. With more than 800 charging ports now available province wide, B.C. is building a network ready to meet growing EV demand while supporting economic growth.
BC Hydro plans to add more 400-kilowatt chargers in 2026, as EV adoption continues to rise. British Columbia now has more than 220,000 EVs on the road, and BC Hydro says future investments will focus on hub-style charging sites along major highways and in high-population areas to improve convenience and reduce wait times. These new chargers help reduce range anxiety and support more British Columbians in transitioning to zero-emission driving.
“We’re expanding B.C.’s clean electricity supply and strengthening our provincial grid to power the future of transportation,”
BC Hydro’s broader EV charging efforts include several recent milestones:
Network expansion: The utility has tripled its public charging network in the past year, adding 418 new charging ports.
State-of-the-art hubs: About two dozen new hubs have opened across every region of the province, each featuring 8 to 22 charging ports.
Next-generation fast chargers: Charger power levels are matched to customer needs, with 180 kW chargers at grocery locations and ultra-fast 400 kW chargers at high-turnover sites.
Electric Highway completion: Fast chargers placed roughly every 150 kilometres (90 miles) along major routes completed B.C.’s Electric Highway in September 2024. BC Hydro operates 114 of the 155 locations, representing more than 70% of the network.
BC Hydro’s province-wide fast-charging network now includes 811 charging ports at 178 sites throughout British Columbia. The chargers are funded through partnerships with the Government of British Columbia and Natural Resources Canada.
SOURCE: BC HYDRO
