Co-op Connect to add 41 100 kW fast chargers at 23 of its retail locations, including 12 on Vancouver Island

Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) is investing in a significant EV charging network expansion, it announced May 28.

FCL’s charging network — Co-op Connect — is already operational in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. They have 29 DC fast chargers in 16 locations in those provinces.

The addition of 41 new 100 kW chargers at 23 stations in British Columbia in locations ranging from Fort St. John to Tofino, is a marked service increase.

The chargers are SmartDC fast chargers from FLO.

“Fast chargers are not just dots on the map, they are much-needed opportunities to keep EV drivers on the road,” said Louis Tremblay, FLO president and CEO, in a press release. 

“FLO’s project with FCL will expand access to fast, reliable charging throughout British Columbia — particularly in rural cities and towns — as the province moves toward 100 [per cent] zero emissions vehicles by 2035.”

Uptime guarantee

Charging networks across Canada are grappling with reliability and uptime standards. FCL’s owners — independent retail co-operatives across Western Canada — have added assurance from FLO that the fast chargers will be operational.

“The FLO Performance warranty program provides subscribers with peace of mind by guaranteeing that charging ports covered by the warranty will achieve 98 [per cent] uptime and by offering warranty holders a 50 [per cent] refund of the applicable annual warranty fee if station uptime falls short of that threshold,” reads the press release.

With rural and remote FCL sites hosting some of the new charging locations, maintaining uptime is an especially critical component of the Co-op Connect network.

FLO confirms uptime on the Co-op Connect chargers in B.C. will have proactive station monitoring. They are also committing to a one business day time frame to address all service calls.

Installation of the new FCL chargers will begin this summer with FLO responsible for coordinating site construction and installation.

The Co-op Connect network expansion into B.C. comes more than a year and a half since it last added any new sites. In March, a company spokesperson told Electric Autonomy a network expansion of this scale would come in 2024.