Today marks the end of free electricity for my car. BC Hydro, our province's electrical utility started charging for power at their many high-speed DC chargers. Until now, they'd been setting up the huge network of refrigerator-sized units. I essentially charged for free during the first two summers of driving my Kona EV. Today, I was happy to swipe my special card as I'd put bucks on it a long time ago. I could have used the app on my phone instead. My automobile charged from 55% to 80% using a total of 18.1040 kWh. I had to run out while we were shopping as my app said I was approaching my entered limit of 80%. The car was connected for 27m 27s and I paid a total of $CA 5.76 including tax.
Before lunch, I drove up to Queen's Park. The city's fast DC chargers there have initiated fees as well. Presently, the prices are a bit too high as they are also 50 kW units. Instead, I tested one of the formerly free L2 chargers which use excess street-light circuit power. These now cost $1 an hour but charged at just 5.5 kW until another car came and cut my flow in half. I was there long enough to have a cost of $CA 0.39.
This is going to be so much cheaper than buying petroleum! I estimate it'll cost quite a bit less than half of what gas would cost me.
