Next Generation EV Charging Infrastructure

Project Objectives:

This project aims to address barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption in urban areas by demonstrating solutions such as:

1. EV Charging Station Interoperability

BCIT’s software team will develop and demonstrate an open, non-proprietary communication protocol to control and monitor two EV chargers from different vendors using different charging protocols, which cannot communicate off-the-shelf.

2. EV Charging Using Existing Outdoor Lighting Infrastructure

Curbside Charging Using Streetlight Infrastructure. Curbside Level 2 chargers will be demonstrated at the City of New Westminster by leveraging existing streetlight wiring, conduit and electrical capacity. Electrical capacity will be made available to the new charging stations when older sodium vapour lights are retrofitted with high efficiency LEDs.

Commercial Outdoor Parking Lots. Many commercial parking lots are occupied during the day when lighting is not used (e.g. workplaces, shopping centers). The excess electrical capacity in the daytime could be used for EV charging without the cost to upgrade the electrical infrastructure of the parking lot. Working with IBX Datasystems, BCIT will demonstrate at their Aerospace campus a network of six level 2 charging stations with load management technology. This technology enables the use of six level 2 stations at full power during the day, and a reduced level of charging during evenings hours when the parking lot lights are on.

3. Multi-Unit Residential Building (MURB) Load Management

Demonstration of a load management system and app user interface for six existing level 2 chargers at BCIT’s campus to emulate a MURB charging network. The proposed system would manage the charging rate depending on the available electrical capacity and would notify the EV owner of their charging rate by an app user interface developed by BCIT.

Expected Results:

The learnings and results of this project will be reported on and made publically available so that they could be used in other municipalities across Canada.  The widespread deployment of these solutions in more municipalities would enable the widespread adoption of EVs and make EVs an easier choice for Canadians living in urban areas.

The outcome of this project is to reduce Canada’s GHG emissions by demonstrating infrastructure for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.  

Project Partners:

City of New Westminster
IBX Datasystems Ltd.