A network of electric vehicle fast-charging stations is being launched across the country by Petro-Canada, which is part of Calgary-based energy giant Suncor.

The company announced on Wednesday that more than 50 of these stations will be located along the Trans-Canada Highway at Petro-Canada stations from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.

It said construction is set to begin this spring, with sites opening over the next year.

“Keeping Canadians moving is what we do. We know the needs of our customers are evolving as we transition to a low-carbon future, which is why we are excited to expand our current offering to support this growing customer segment,” said Kris Smith, executive vice president for downstream at Suncor, in a statement.

“With more than 1,800 retail and wholesale locations across the country we have the network in place to build Canada’s first electric highway, providing coast-to-coast EV charging for our customers. We’re also investing in the fastest charging EV technology available today, which will be able to easily upgrade as technology advances.”

The company said Petro-Canada stations will offer DC fast chargers with both CHAdeMO and CCS/SAE connectors, which support a broad selection of vehicles. The chargers can provide up to a 200 kilowatt charge – enough to provide an 80 per cent charge to most EVs in less than 30 minutes. The units are capable of 350 kilowatt charging with future upgrades.

It said a test site is operational in Milton, Ont., and a full list of the locations where an EV fast charge will be available can be found at petro-canada.ca/ev

– Mario Toneguzzi for Calgary’s Business

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