Sudbury groups working to prevent range anxiety for electric car drivers

Drivers of gas-powered cars rarely have to worry about finding a gas station where they can fill up, but for drivers of electric vehicles, finding a place to recharge your battery is a significant worry.

A coalition of electric car drivers and green energy groups wants to increase the number of charging stations in Sudbury. The groups says the number of electric car drivers will go up if it becomes easier to recharge vehicles.

"One of the biggest psychological barriers for people is if there is no place to charge, then why should I get one?" Devin Arthur, the head of the Greater Sudbury Electric Vehicle Association and driver of a gas electric hybrid said.

Arthur is part of the group that will support  businesses interested in building a charging station, helping them access grant money, acquire permits and find qualified contractors.

Richard Eberhardt of Green Economy North says any place where people gather and stay for a short time is a good place for a charging station.

"The charging stations are a big part in terms of signalling to the community that electric vehicles will work here and you can go about your day to day business knowing you can keep charged and get back to your house," he said.

Eberhardt says while it's important to have charging stations at workplaces, stores, malls, restaurants and hotels are also good places for getting top-up charges.

"These are all places where the public will park a vehicle for 10, 15, 20 minutes, an hour, and come back out and find their vehicle has a charges," he said.

Eberhardt says a one hour charge, which will cost pennies, can add 50 to 80 kilometres to your battery range.