Fernie’s new Highway 3 EV charging station offers ultra-fast charging, expanding the community’s EV infrastructure with faster, more efficient service.

Now operating at 601 BC-3 (Highway 3), the new site is part of the BC Hydro EV Network and delivers up to 200 kW through CCS connections, with 100 kW CHAdeMO also available. In practical terms, that means a stop that used to take hours can now take minutes.

Fernie has had EV chargers for years, but they’ve largely been Level 2—fine if you’re staying overnight or parked for the day, not useful if you’re trying to get over the pass and keep moving. This is different. This is built for Highway 3.

And that matters here. Winter conditions, long distances between communities, and steady cross-border traffic all make charging speed more than a convenience—it’s the difference between a planned stop and a delay.

The site itself reflects that shift. The old car wash at the Fas Gas location has been removed, replaced with a layout designed for quick access and quick turnover. Plug in, charge, move on.

It’s also, for now, the only public fast-charging (DC) station in Fernie, which says as much about where infrastructure has been as it does about where it’s going.

Drivers use the BC Hydro EV system—app or RFID—with energy-based pricing (about $0.3479 per kWh) and an idle fee if you linger after charging is complete.

There’s no real spin needed here. It’s a simple shift—faster charging, shorter stops, and a more reliable option for EV drivers in Fernie.