The Electric Circuit Announces Major Improvements to the Charging Station at L’Étape

January 10, 2024

The Electric Circuit, the largest public charging network for electric vehicles in Québec, has announced the introduction of new fast-charge stations at the Coq Rôti restaurant at L’Étape, in the Réserve faunique des Laurentides, in order to facilitate electric vehicle charging and reduce lineups as much as possible.

In addition to the six fast-charge stations already available at L’Étape, the Electric Circuit is adding two 180-kW charging stations and one 200-kW station with power sharing from FreeWire Technologies, a company that uses a new technology to charge an electric vehicle up to 200 kW or two electric vehicles that are connected simultaneously up to 100 kW. A vehicle with a trailer can also easily connect to the new charging station.

With an integrated battery, FreeWire’s Boost Charger is a very interesting solution for grid management because its peak-period energy needs are close to 8 times less than those of traditional charging stations, which reduces energy demand during peak periods and lessens the impact of EV charging on the power grid. The charging stations can therefore be easily deployed in areas where the three-phase system is not present and where it wasn’t possible until now to offer more than 25-kW fast charging.

The Electric Circuit would like to thank Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program for its financial support for the installation of the new charging stations.

Finally, the L’Étape charging station now has a generator from GAL Power Systems in Saguenay. The generator will supply two 50-kW charging stations and the 200-kW charging station, which will help to maintain the charging service in the event of a power outage in the sector.

Planning your trip and your charging session

With the holiday season fast approaching, the Electric Circuit would like to share a few tips with EV drivers to optimize their travels on Highway 175 between the city of Québec and Saguenay:

• EV drivers can use several fast-charge stations in the Saguenay and Québec City regions in addition to or instead of charging their vehicle at L’Étape. For instance, they can charge their vehicle using the fast-charge stations in Laterrière and Stoneham before entering the Réserve faunique des Laurentides.
• It may also be better to charge your vehicle at two different locations instead of one long charging session. For many vehicles, the charging speed decreases significantly with the increase in the battery charge level. Therefore, if your vehicle doesn’t have enough range to cross the reserve, you may have to charge at L’Étape, but it is worth asking yourself whether you really need a full charge.
• When charging your electric vehicle at L’Étape, it may be a good idea to reduce the charging time. The Electric Circuit’s trip planner is the perfect tool to ensure you reach your destination with enough power while reducing the number of stops you need to make.