Toronto, Ontario — The Canadian government pledges to expand electric vehicle (EV) charger availability in British Columbia, the U.S.’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigates whether older EVs are too quiet, and two Ontario businesses receive a cash injection for greener automotive components. This is the latest in electric and autonomous vehicles.
Boosting Chargers
The Canadian federal government is investing nearly $19 million into installing close to 2,400 EV chargers across British Columbia, with most located in Greater Vancouver.
“These chargers will make it so much easier for drivers to get to where they need to go and to reduce range anxiety, which was something that inhibited the deployment of vehicles for a number of years,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of natural resources.
According to Natural Resources Canada, more than 26 projects across the province will benefit from this investment, with projects including residential buildings, utilities and businesses.
Bring the Noise
The NHTSA has opened an investigation into hybrids and EVs, inquiring whether older models dating back to 1997 should be retrofitted with sound emitters.
According to Car and Driver, this investigation began following a petition in July 2022, warning that their relative quietness compared to their more modern counterparts posed a threat to visually impaired pedestrians.
Given that NHTSA estimates that there are more than 9 million vehicles without built-in audible alerts, tracking down their owners and providing them with retrofits may prove to be a something of a challenge.
Going Local
The Federal government is investing nearly $16 million to support EV manufacturing in Southern Ontario; specifically Marwood International Inc. and Remmen Brakes.
According to the Government of Canada, Marwood International Inc. is receiving $5 million to transition its manufacturing facilities to produce structural EV parts like body structure and battery support components. This will create 60 jobs in Ingersoll, Ont., and double its EV parts production capability.
Remmen Brakes is also receiving $2.1 million to test and commercialize digital braking systems that may eliminate up to 20 million litres of corrosive brake fluid used each year in North America, thereby reducing carbon emissions by 4.2 million tons.
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