Great digging by Joe Fries over at the Penticton Western News on the usage of several new electric vehicle chargers in the Okanagan. What a waste of money:

Two electric car charging stations in Penticton that cost taxpayers at least $8,000 were used just eight times in their first year, although proponents insist the payoff will come later. Okanagan College flipped the switch on the stations in April 2013.

Each unit cost $5,000, with three-quarters covered by the B.C. government’s $2.7 million Community Charging Infrastructure Fund and the balance by the school.

The eight charging sessions lasted a total of 21 hours and four minutes, according to data supplied by the college.

Another eight stations installed at three other campuses were also infrequently used…

According to ICBC, there were 662 electric cars insured in B.C. in 2013, but just 27 of them in the Southern Interior. 

Eight stations for 27 vehicles! It gets worse when you read about one of those owners, Lance Johnston:

He purchased a high-end Tesla last year for “over six figures,” and said it has a range of about 400 kilometres that can be travelled with only $8 worth of electricity.

The financial advisor paid $2,000 to have a charging station installed at his house, so he only uses public facilities while travelling out of town.

He said units like those at Okanagan College are underpowered and inconveniently located. “They’re just there for a pinch if you can waste two hours and get a 30-, 50-kilometre range just to get home,” said Johnston. “It should be at a hotel, or where people can do other things. It should be in a public spot. You can’t go and park at the college and do anything. It’s the right idea; it’s the wrong place.”

Um, no, Lance, it’s the wrong place and the wrong idea. If there was a market for this, every gas station in the province would be rushing to invest in chargers. But they’re not, because there simply is not the necessary critical mass. With all due respect, if you can afford a $100,000+ Tesla, and a $2,000 home charger, you don’t need the tax dollars of single moms, pensioners, and blue-collar families going to subsidize community EV chargers. It’s just a waste of our money.