Cielo Electric

Canada’s electric school bus rollout is showing how hard scaling electrification can actually be.

A recent report from the Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance (CESBA) found that only PEI, Quebec, and BC are making real progress on electric school buses, while most provinces are still largely in pilot-project mode. Right now, only 3.8% of school buses in Canada are electric.

A few things stand out:

🚌 Upfront costs are still a major hurdle
⚡ Charging infrastructure and grid capacity are slowing deployments
📋 Provinces with clear targets and long-term planning are moving faster
🏛️ Funding uncertainty is making it difficult for operators to commit

What’s interesting is that school buses are actually one of the best use cases for electrification due to predictable daily routes, centralized depot charging, and potential for managed charging and even vehicle-to-grid applications

The challenge now is building the infrastructure, funding programs, and utility coordination needed to support deployment at scale.

https://pst.cr/3B5hR

Canada’s electric school bus transition earns poor grades in most provinces | Electric Autonomy Canada Federal, provincial and territorial coordination and funding are needed most to help absorb higher initial costs of electric buses, says The Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance

Starting May 19, BC Ferries will allow certain immobile EVs with no structural or battery damage back onboard vessels, easing restrictions that had created major challenges for towing operators, collision repair shops, and EV owners who live on Vancouver Island and other coastal BC communities.

However, EVs with damaged or defective lithium batteries pose a serious fire risk, particularly in enclosed marine environments, and are still restricted onboard, consistent with federal regulations. .

In places reliant on ferry access, limiting EV transport can disrupt repair logistics, emergency services, tourism, and commercial activity. We often think about EVs only in the context of roads and charging stations, but this shows how electrification affects marine operations, logistics chains, insurance processes, and emergency planning to!

🔗https://pst.cr/YHQ7k

Thoughts? Would love to hear them below.

B.C. Ferries to allow some immobile EV vehicles aboard Starting on May 19, immobile EVs with no damage or only minor cosmetic damage can be towed or carried on board.

Interested in providing charging at your commercial building, but don't know where to begin?🚚🔋

Cielo Charging has got you covered - all you have to do is submit a project inquiry through the following form :
https://cielocharging.com/commercial-charger-installation-inquiry/

This is the best way for our team to get all the details needed to scope out your project and provide recommendations and next steps for your site!

For additional questions, reach out to us at:
[email protected]
778.862.4109

Great to see Tesla filling a much needed EV charging gap on Vancouver Island! ⚡️

A new Tesla Supercharger just opened in Campbell River which is something that’s been a bit of a missing link for travel north of Nanaimo.

Until recently, drivers heading north of Nanaimo had limited fast-charging options, but now the Campbell River station alongside the nearby Comox Supercharger opening earlier this year allows Tesla drivers to travel much farther up the island withconfidence!

Once again, Tesla continues to play a leading role in the expansion of fast charging in B.C....

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Tesla Opens Campbell River Supercharger, Closing Major Gap on Vancouver Island [British Columbia] Tesla’s new Supercharger in Campbell River is now open with 8 stalls, finally bringing the network to northern Vancouver Island.

🔗🔗In the EV world we know about fast charging, but you heard of flash charging?

This new CBC piece dives into megawatt flash EV charging, a technology currently being tested and used in China, capable of adding hundreds of kilometres of range in minutes. 🔋

The first of these megawatt chargers in Canada is currently under construction at the service area de La Porte du Nord along Highway 15 outside the town of Saint-Jérôme, Quebec. While it will be just be useed to charge trucks, not cars at this time, it is an exciting step for medium and heavy duty vehicle electrification. 🚚

🔗https://pst.cr/ce5a6

What are your thoughts on megawatt charging and its implications for Canada?

Want 5-minute EV charging? Canada is getting a megawatt charger, too | CBC Climate Change News In this issue of our environmental newsletter, we look at a technology to charge an EV in five minutes; check out the beaches in Florida and the stinky problem they face this year; and hear the stories of three heroes of conservation in honour of Earth Week.

According to a new annual survey released by Autotrader of more than 1,700 Canadians (non EV owners), 49 per cent now say they would consider buying one.

The rebound in EV interest after a slower 2025 can be linked to a few overlapping realities.

🔋Oil and gas prices have spiked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East
🔋The federal government reinstated a consumer rebate worth thousands of dollars per vehicle.
🔋The introduction of Chinese EVs could change the affordability of EVs.

This all raises a few important questions:

Are short-term fuel price spikes quietly doing more to drive adoption than policy ever could?

What happens to EV demand if prices stabilize again?

In a shifting political landscape, are we giving consumers a clear enough signal to make the switch?

Check out the full Financial Post article and leave your thoughts below! 🔗 https://financialpost.com/commodities/energy/electric-vehicles/electric-vehicles-could-rebound

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Building upon the new Auto Strategy, the federal government recently announceed a dedicated $10.6M toward EV charging (1,600+ new chargers), plus another $1.1M for EV education and awareness initiatives!

What stood out to me is that it’s not just about putting chargers in the ground but also about helping people actually understand and experience electric mobility firsthand. Programs like Plug’n Drive’s test drive tours are a great example of how you can make the transition feel more tangible and accessible to everyday Canadians and fleets, especially in small and medium-sized communities.

Curious to see how and where these projects roll out, especially in smaller communities where access has been more limited.

🔗 https://pst.cr/TeHyZ

Canada invests more for EV charging infrastructure and education The Federal government announces 1,600 new chargers, more Plug’n Drive support in multi-million dollar investment at the EV & Charging Expo 2026

Building upon the new Auto Strategy, the federal government recently announceed a dedicated $10.6M toward EV charging (1,600+ new chargers), plus another $1.1M for EV education and awareness initiatives!

What stood out to me is that it’s not just about putting chargers in the ground but also about helping people actually understand and experience electric mobility firsthand. Programs like Plug’n Drive’s test drive tours are a great example of how you can make the transition feel more tangible and accessible to everyday Canadians and fleets, especially in small and medium-sized communities.

Curious to see how and where these projects roll out, especially in smaller communities where access has been more limited.

🔗 https://pst.cr/dZRpx