Ontario preparing to build electric vehicle infrastructure

Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Transportation have released a request for information (RFI) related to developing an infrastructure for electric vehicles. The province hopes to establish the availability of charging stations across the province.

Information gathered through the RFI process will also help the province to develop strategies for partnering with the public and private sectors to build, test and expand the infrastructure.

As part of its strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, Ontario’s goal is for 5% of all new cars to be electric by 2020. Electric vehicles can use clean energy resources instead of gasoline.

The province’s Electric Vehicle Incentive Program already provides consumers with between $5,000 and $8,500 toward the purchase or lease of eligible plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles.

The RFI is posted at www.merx.com and the deadline for submissions is June 4, 2012. Infrastructure Ontario is managing the RFI process on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation.

The province’s Electric Vehicle Incentive Program already provides consumers with between $5,000 and $8,500 toward the purchase or lease of eligible plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles.