EV Group - Review of Priorities - November, 2022

In the SSI Climate Action Plan (2020-2030), priorities for the next ten years for the Transportation sector were listed as:

• Electrify the majority of vehicle types
• Reduce emissions from the remaining fossil-fuel vehicles
• Expand public transit service
• Make it easier to get around the island on foot, by bicycle and by mobility scooter.

There has been progress on all of these priorities over the past decade and it is timely for the EV Group to review the status of its work on Electric Vehicle ownership and consider its potential activities for the next year or so. Currently, a major hurdle to expanding EVs is the shortage in the supply of EV batteries and other parts and vehicle production.

  The following ideas are a start.  Suggestions of other activities for the TSS-EV Group are welcome.

1. Continue to measure and report on the annual status of passenger vehicles on the island in the context of the TSS goal of a 50% reduction in GHG emissions from 2007-2030.  380 (bump) in 2021 represented a 40% growth year-over-year from 2020.
2. Initiate a similar review of the status of commercial vehicles (trucks, delivery vans, fleet vehicles) on the island.
3. Continue to promote the overall benefits of moving from fossil-fuel vehicles to electric drive, including driving experience, lower operating costs, lower GHG emissions and improved public health.  99% don't go back.
4. Continue education opportunities (Driftwood, Exchange, written material,  WWW.SSIEV.CA, ZOOM sessions, attendance at SSI events (Fall Fair, Film Festival, ECO Home Tour, etc.).  Keep the conversation going.
5. Promote additional free level 2 and higher speed pay-for-service charging infrastructure utilizing a wider array of innovative chargers coming on market.  Keep aware of emerging (new chargers, adaptors) and declining charging technologies (CHAdeMO).
6. Encourage TSS to press for appropriate electric charging infrastructure in any community development projects (eg. IWAV Croftonbrook, new SS Firehall, larger multi-unit housing projects and Lady Minto hospital expansion).
7. Monitor and provide local awareness of industry trends (start-ups, supply chain challenges) and new factors which could encourage EV adoption (example: BC Hydro's Variable Rate Billing).  
8. Work with TSS on revitalizing “Green Drinks”events to cover all transition sectors, not just Electric Vehicles.