Some EV owners in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., choosing to rent rather than buy charger, utility says

Some Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., drivers who have opted to ditch their gas-powered car for an electric vehicle (EV) are choosing to rent a charger rather than buying, according to the city utility company PUC Services Inc.

PUC says it launched its EV home charger rental program in October 2022, and there are currently 31 active participants.

Noting that "EVs are not the most inexpensive vehicle out there," Jairus Patterson, PUC's manager of corporate communications, said the program offers a simple, reliable and trustworthy at-home charging option to people who have purchased EVs. 

"When you purchase [an EV], you do need to get a charger and this is a great way, an affordable way to help lower some costs, by renting a home charger from us," Patterson told CBC Sudbury.

"We do know those [chargers] can [cost] upwards of $2,000 to $3,000 if you're going to purchase it yourself.

Under the PUC program, EV drivers can have a charger installed at their home for a $35 monthly fee, which covers rental of the unit, a lifetime warranty and an installation credit. 

'The uptick has been good'

Patterson said the contract is "month-to-month," giving people the opportunity to opt out at any time in case they decide to install a permanent charger.

"We have seen growth in the adoption of EV vehicles here in Sault Ste. Marie, and with our program, the uptick has been good," Patterson said. 

"We are seeing some people are going the route where they just want to buy it themselves and they don't want to rent it, so that's fine as well. But we are starting to see more and more people deciding to go the rental route."

Devin Arthur, chapter president at the EV Society of Greater Sudbury, welcomes the program, which he says helps to encourage the adoption of EVs

"Any way to make it easier for people to purchase an EV is a win, especially if you are purchasing a used EV as these purchases often do not come with a 'free' home charger install like a new vehicle would," Arthur wrote in an email to CBC News.

In November the Ontario government announced it's building more than 1,300 new EV charging stations in small and medium-sized communities, marking a major milestone in the province's plan to increase access to EV chargers outside of large urban centres and support the electrification of transportation across the province. 

At the time, the government said the new charging stations will provide critical supporting infrastructure in communities across the province, including for EVs made in Ontario.

"With more than 201,000 electric vehicles on the road in Ontario, we're putting shovels in the ground to build more charging stations and make life easier for drivers," said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Electrification. 

"That includes a focus on smaller and underserved communities across our province where we are providing more certainty for parents and workers during their commutes."

The chargers will be located at 270 sites across the province, such as arenas, hospitals, parks and recreation centres. This includes 190 charging stations in northern Ontario, providing drivers across the north with more options when travelling.