It has now been over a year since the Electrical circuit has adopted dynamic tiered pricing, which allows it to bill for the use of the charging station according to the charging power supplied. Until last July 20, fast charging stations with more than 100 kilowatts of power were not affected by this type of pricing, being satisfied with a fixed hourly rate of $36.97, but that is now a thing of the past. Indeed, with the recent deployment of 120, 180 and 350 kilowatt charging stations, the Electric Circuit has updated the rate schedule to include its new installations.
There are therefore no changes to the pricing of terminals whose advertised power is less than 100 kilowatts; these continue to follow the fee schedule announced on 1er last February, when rates underwent their annual increase.
120 and 180 kilowatt terminals
On the other hand, for terminals with an advertised power of 120 or 180 kilowatts, the tariff schedule is now as follows, billed by the second:
| Start of the stage kW |
End of stage kW |
Charge level below 90% ($/h) |
Charge level of 90% or more ($/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 50 | $17.79 | $35.58 |
| 50 | 60 | $22.01 | $22.01 |
| 60 | 70 | $26.24 | $26.24 |
| 70 | 80 | $30.46 | $30.46 |
| 80 | 90 | $34.69 | $34.69 |
| 90 | 100 | $40.98 | $40.98 |
| 100 | 110 | $48.80 | $48.80 |
| 110 | 120 | $56.59 | $56.59 |
| 120 | 130 | $62.32 | $62.32 |
| 130 | 140 | $68.04 | $68.04 |
| 140 | 150 | $73.77 | $73.77 |
| 150 | 160 | $79.50 | $79.50 |
| 160 | 170 | $85.23 | $85.23 |
| 170 | 180 | $90.95 | $90.95 |
You will notice that the basic rate, if a power of less than 50 kilowatts is supplied, is higher by 13% compared to a terminal of 100 kilowatts, at 17.79 against $15.73. This difference aims to make these terminals less attractive for people whose vehicle cannot, in any case, accept such a high charging power. This is particularly the case for several vehicles currently on the road, such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, the electric Hyundai Kona or the electric Kia Niro.
At the other end of the spectrum, if a power of 180 kilowatts is delivered by these terminals, the hourly rate will reach $90.95. This may seem high, but at this power, the recharge is done quickly, which means that you will not spend a lot of time at this level.
350 kilowatt bollards
Although not currently widespread, 350-kilowatt charging stations will be deployed by the Electric Circuit in the years to come. These are useful for people who will travel, for example, by electric van, because of their power which can reduce downtime, if the vehicle is able to accept it. Currently, there are only three in Quebec, two in Laval and another in Magog.
Note that the pricing of these terminals is identical to those of 120 or 180 kilowatts up to a charging power of 180 kilowatts. For a higher charging power, the rates follow these levels:
| Start of the stage kW |
End of stage kW |
Charge level below 90% ($/h) |
Charge level of 90% or more ($/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 190 | 200 | $102.41 | $102.41 |
| 200 | 210 | $108.13 | $108.13 |
| 210 | 220 | $113.86 | $113.86 |
| 220 | 230 | $119.59 | $119.59 |
| 230 | 240 | $125.31 | $125.31 |
| 240 | 250 | $131.04 | $131.04 |
| 250 | 260 | $136.77 | $136.77 |
| 260 | 270 | $142.49 | $142.49 |
| 270 | 280 | $148.22 | $148.22 |
| 280 | 290 | $153.95 | $153.95 |
| 290 | 300 | $159.68 | $159.68 |
| 300 | 310 | $165.40 | $165.40 |
| 310 | 320 | $171.13 | $171.13 |
| 320 | 330 | $176.86 | $176.86 |
| 330 | 340 | $182.58 | $182.58 |
| 340 | 350 | $188.31 | $188.31 |
| 350 | 350 | $192.20 | $192.20 |
Once again, the hourly rate of $192.20 may seem excessively expensive, but you have to understand that no vehicle currently available on the market can achieve such power, let alone stay there for a long time.
Installations of these terminals
While some industry observers criticize the Electric Circuit for its slowness in implementing high-power charging stations, which are better suited to the performance of modern electric vehicles, it is in the process of correcting the situation. This year, as announced last January, the Electric Circuit will install more than a hundred charging stations with a power of 120 or 180 kilowatts. Moreover, this deployment has begun along major highways, where these terminals are mainly located. By consulting the interactive map of the Electric Circuit, there are 55 installed and functional (13 of 120 kilowatts and 42 of 180 kilowatts) at the time of writing these lines.
