Coquihalla

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foxtrot

New member
Joined
Aug 26, 2017
Messages
3
Has anyone drove thier leaf from lower mainland on the coquihalla to Kelowna? There is charging station in Merriot and Hope, but with highway driving and hills, we are unsure if leaf can make the stretches between charging stations.
 
With a 24kWh pack, there's no way you can make it. Not sure if even a 30 kWh pack could (doubtful).

Go Hwy 3 instead, as there are DCQC stations in Hope, Manning Park, Princeton, Keremeos, and Penticton.

I haven't tried it, but Hwy 1 is another option but that route takes a long time (Hope -> Boston Bar -> Spences Bridge -> Kamloops -> Chase -> Salmon Arm -> Vernon)

You'll find all the DCQC stations on plugshare.com

Also, use the EV trip planner (www.evtripplanner.com) with the LEAF Beta profile to estimate how doable each leg is and leave some margin for error.

Good luck!
 
Looks like the Spences Bridge to Kamloops leg would be tough in a 24 kWh Leaf using DCQC only. However, if you spent half an hour doing L2 charging in Cache Creek then that would give you the boost you'd need (an extra 3 kWh).

All this assumes your Leaf has the QC package of course...
 
It's definitely been tried - both successfully and unsuccessfully! Those who have succeeded with a 24 kWh pack kept their speed under 70 kph, charged at the old toll booth, and took the Coldwater exit to get to Merritt.

The leg from Merritt to Kelowna should use slightly less energy, but AFAIK there are no charging options at all until you reach Peachland. Having said that, there is the Elkhart Lodge which I think still sells gasoline and it might be possible to charge at 120V there. Would be awesome if they would put in a 240V L2 EVSE there. There were rumours that the owners were looking to sell though, don't know if that actually happened.
 
There is now a DCQC (25 kW since only single phase) at the Loon Lake rest area, between Merritt and Kelowna. Another DCQC is planned for the Britton Creek rest area, which is just past where the toll booths used to be. Hopefully, sometime this summer, it will be possible to drive the Coquihalla in a 24 kWh LEAF from Hope through to Kelowna.

Photo of likely location at the Britton Creek rest area:

https://goo.gl/maps/NTgCqQR3MaE2
 
Just this...

https://www.tranbc.ca/2016/10/13/we-heard-you-rest-area-improvements-on-the-way-in-bc/

See my comments and the response I got.
 
So I got a reply Re the Britton Creek future DC fast charger on the Coquihala. Here it is.

“Hello, EV charging stations are coming to the Britton Creek Rest Area (exit 228 on the Coquihalla Highway) later this year, likely in the next few months as snow and winter conditions subside there. See: https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/alternative-fuels/fuel-facts/ecoenergy/19464. “

So good news all around. The URL is kinda neat as it has info on various other provinces and locations getting charging infrastructure. BC is getting about a dozen more. I would think BC will have over 70 DC FC locations by end 2020. All good news.
 
Thanks for sharing the update! Sounds like Britton Creek likely won't be ready in time for my trip to Kelowna in early August, bummer.
 
So Britton Creek is up on Pkug Share plus a few others as under construction. Vancouver Island also picked up a couple new ones in the last few days. I think BC will have 75 non Tesla fast chargers by end summer. Site surveys are also under way to cover the northern route from Cache Creek thru Prince George all the way to Haida Guay. They are getting serious a lot faster than I thought they would.
 
Yeah, I remember reading something about $6 million allocated for DCQC rollout across the province. It's a drop in a bucket, but at least it's a start.

I wish the NDP would spin site C to convince people that its capacity could be used to charge up to 1 million EVs. With gas prices the way they are, way more people would switch to an EV if the charging infrastructure was there. Build it and they will come...
 
Britton Creek will be perfect for me. Living in Chilliwack, Merrit is not reachable with my 2018 Leaf directly from Chilliwack. Charging in Hope is necessary but I am around 78% or so when I get there so quick charging is not of much use. Britton Creek will make the drive much more relaxing I am sure.

I am waiting for the weather to improve, which has done lately so I may make the trip here pretty soon.

rparry51
 
rparry51 said:
Britton Creek will be perfect for me. Living in Chilliwack, Merrit is not reachable with my 2018 Leaf directly from Chilliwack. Charging in Hope is necessary but I am around 78% or so when I get there so quick charging is not of much use. Britton Creek will make the drive much more relaxing I am sure.

I am waiting for the weather to improve, which has done lately so I may make the trip here pretty soon.

rparry51

Yah it will be more relaxing. Remember though that it may be another single phase 25 KW version. Still a great addition slower than the rest. Probably mid summer before it’s done though.
 
A buddy of mine says that Britton Creek is supposed to be completed by the end of June. Also, it will be single phase, so a 25 kWh charging rate.
 
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