A network of eight electric car charging stations have already been installed across southern Ontario.
A network of eight electric car charging stations have already been installed across southern Ontario.
The network, managed by Better Place, is backed by the provincial government and is being treated as a one-year pilot project.
There are charging stations in Toronto, Markham, Ajax, Bowmanville, Vaughan and Barrie according to the CBC News story. Each station can handle two cars at a time. Initially they will only be open to corporate fleets from Ontario's municipally owned electric utilities.
After the demonstration period ends, the charging stations should become open to the public. If all goes well, Better Place hopes to expand the network in the future. Instead of waiting to charge up at the station, the company says drivers might just be able to replace the entire battery packs with a new, fully-charged one.
All-electric vehicles are just starting to enter the mainstream market. The Chevy Volt, the Nissan Leaf and the Ford Focus Electric will all arrive in 2011.
Make no mistake, they will require massive infrastructure, but this is big first step.
Interested in an electric car? Check out a team of Canadians building their own.
(CBC; Photo: Better Place)
