Ontario Home & Roam Low Carbon EV Charging Ecosystem

Lead Proponent

Ontario Charging Network LP (comprised of Ontario Power Generation and Hydro One)

Project Background

In this project, Ontario Charging Network (known as Ivy Charging Network) outlined two key objectives. The first objective was to build, test, and establish the ‘Home & Roam’ charging ecosystem that ties together hassle-free, smart, demand-managed home charging with an extensive network of public chargers. The second objective of the project was to establish and test a platform to minimize local grid impacts and broader electricity system-level impacts of EV charging at scale.

Product launch of the Ivy Home Smart EV Charger at the 2023 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto

Results

Ivy developed the Home & Roam EV charging ecosystem by launching the Ivy Home Smart EV Charger and integrating it with the existing Ivy public network. Users are provided with a turnkey solution that includes home charger installation with no upfront costs via payment plans, the option to schedule charging, and access to 154 Level 3 chargers and 32 Level 2 chargers via one account.

Creating Home & Roam allowed Ivy to test methods of minimizing local grid and broader electrical system impacts of charging at scale. The Ivy app allows users to schedule charging sessions and utilize ultra-low overnight rates to reduce economic and environmental impacts and motivate them to distribute their charging load across the widespread public network.

Benefits to Canada

Ivy has helped facilitate Canada's transition to low-emission energy sources by supporting EV adoption through this project. Home & Roam helps accelerate adoption by offering a seamless charging experience with minimal upfront costs and trusted, Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) certified installation. The provision of a turnkey home charging service is also intended to remove barriers to help spur Canadian EV intenders to consider purchasing an EV.

Next Steps

Having demonstrated the feasibility of Home & Roam, Ivy's next steps involve market share growth and ongoing technology enhancement. Project continuation will involve refining Home & Roam product offerings, expanding Ivy’s user base, and leveraging Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR) to accelerate growth further.