Things are getting electric at the BC Energy Regulator. The BCER has added an electric vehicle (EV) to its Fort St. John fleet to support the CleanBC plan and initiate a pilot program of how an EV operates in a northern climate.

On Dec. 5, 2018, the provincial government released the CleanBC plan, which aims to get all cars and trucks sold in B.C. to run on clean electricity by 2040. By 2020, the Province has committed to making 10 per cent of light-duty vehicle purchases, zero emission vehicles. In support of the CleanBC initiative, we added an electric vehicle to our fleet, which is operating from the Fort St. John office before the 2020 CleanBC initiative takes effect.

The electric vehicle is a 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric. The vehicle’s all-electric range is 415 km and the estimated charging time ranges from just 50 minutes using a high power, level three charging station, to nine hours using a standard level two charging station. But how does it perform on the road? BCER's Public & Corporate Relations Director, Phil Rygg, took the electrical vehicle out for a spin and gave his first impression.

“The Hyundai Kona EV reacted with surprising pep, particularly when driven in ‘sport’ mode. It tackled the rolling hills surrounding Fort St. John with ease. No doubt, the big challenge for this vehicle will come in winter, when the ice, snow and sub-zero temperatures really test its battery life and drive-ability.”

Over the next year, the pilot project will entail gathering information throughout the implementation and use of the electric vehicle at the Fort St. John office and in a northern climate. The data collected will then be shared with other agencies, local governments, and First Nations to encourage similar emission reductions on a broader scale.