Charging Your Electric Car Depends on a Reliable Network
The biggest change switching from the traditional gasoline or diesel car to an EV is refueling. The lifelong routine of refilling your tank—maybe once a week, maybe more, maybe less—is replaced by plugging in—typically daily. With a home- or work-charging set up, it can be pretty easy to settle into the new routine.
The big difference is setting out on a non-routine drive in an electric car. EV drivers quickly learn to gauge the length of a drive versus the state-of-charge of the car. Then the savvy driver consults an app for potential charging points at the destination or along the way. As the public charging network works to catch up with the growing number of EVs in service, it’s a challenge to keep up with the state of the infrastructure.
One company in Canada is setting out to ease new electric car owners’ transitions to the EV lifestyle. FLO has set up a network of thousands of pubic charging stations throughout Canada. It currently has a network of more than 5,000 members who have signed up to use those stations. In addition to 240-volt Level 2 chargers, FLO is also installing 400-volt fast chargers that are compatible with a growing number of EVs. The company provides 24/7 on road support for public chargers
But FLO recognizes that public charging is only part of the equation. It works with companies to install workplace charging, potentially taking end-to-end care of the charging services, offering scalable solutions and smart charging services that can help an employer monitor and/or limit the volume of electricity provided.
FLO also provides home-charging units—offering the G5 and X5 models. Both are Level 2 chargers. The G5 puts out 208-240 volts at 30 amps to provide 6.2–7.2 kW of charging power. The X5 is similar, but allows a variable output current of 6–30 amps. The X5 also is a connected unit, allowing the user to manage the station via an app. A second X5 unit can easily be added on the same breaker. Both of the units are designed to be installed by a qualified electrician, are certified and conform to all relevant specifications. They are warrantied for three years.
FLO can also work with multi-family residential buildings to set up charging. Given the growth of electric car sales in Canada (11,000 in 2016, up 56 percent from the previous year), FLO has plenty of work ahead of it.
Sponsored Post: If you want to learn more about FLO and the charging station or if you want to know where to find a charging service, please visit the site FLO.ca.
