Free ride? Why not?
We’re big believers in electric cars. This is the future. With oil and gas a finite resource that we are gulping down at a staggering rate and the remaining reserves in more and more inaccessible (and thus expensive to get at) places, we have to look at alternatives. The sooner we accept that the better for both us and the environment.
Electric vehicles are not yet practical for many people due to price and range primarily. But we have to do everything we can to promote the adoption of this technology.
To that end, the Town of Lake Cowichan (with the help of a grant) has a free vehicle charging station that can be used, well, free.
We were a little surprised by the debate this station garnered at a recent council meeting, with some councillors questioning how people are using the station.
The idea seemed to be that somehow anyone who was parking there overnight, or for another significant length of time and using the charger was somehow cheating.
And that’s just not true. The charger was put in specifically for people to use, and there were no caveats about how much time they could use it, or how frequently, or whether they had to be from out of town or a resident.
Let’s face it, there aren’t a lot of electric vehicles in the Cowichan Lake area. There aren’t really a lot of electric vehicles in the whole of the Cowichan Valley.
If a resident is taking their vehicle down to the charging station at night to fuel up, so to speak, more power to them (literally). There’s absolutely nothing to say they can’t, or shouldn’t, do so. If the reason is to save a couple of bucks, why not?
On the flip side, it may be a tourist who has come to the lake and is thrilled to find a place they can plug in and charge overnight. Would you really want to argue that that person, who is spending money eating, sleeping etc. in the area shouldn’t be able to use this particular amenity?
There’s no way to curb people’s use without it quickly devolving into the ridiculous. Is two hours the maximum? Or is it four? Or is it eight?
The charging station is doing its job by encouraging electric vehicles, full stop. Don’t start tinkering.