Vancouver’s mandatory electric car chargers

Today, there are so many possibilities for alternative fuels; it’s hard to know which one will dominate in the future.  A good solution might be to prepare for any or all of them.

In Vancouver, it could become mandatory for new condo developments to have electric car charging stations in 10% of their parking stalls. With so much talk of biofuels, it may seem unusual to bet on this particular horse.  Mayor Gregor Robertson says the future is electric.

He points out that many cities – in Europe, Japan, and nearby San Francisco – already have such charging stations in place, for electric cars already on the road. Vancouver would be the first city in Canada to make them mandatory.

While detractors argue against the current usefulness of plug-ins, many claim that the only way electric cars will catch on is if the infrastructure is already in place.

So while one doesn’t see a lot of Mitsubishi iMieVs today, charging stations will make it easier and more convenient for motorists to make the switch.  Put another way, electric cars are the chicken and charging outlets are the egg.  Or is it the other way around?

Making outlets mandatory in new developments could end up being a costly gamble.  Or, a future-minded stroke of genius – especially if the demand for electric cars in Canada grows.

Only by making an effort today, will changes be possible for tomorrow.