Officials Announce First U.S.-Canada “Electric Vehicle Corridor”

Driving between Quebec and Michigan in an EV soon will be more accessible with launch of the first EV corridor connecting Canada and the United States.

The first Electric Vehicle Corridor between the U.S. and Canada, running from Kalamazoo, Michigan, to Quebec City, Quebec and tapping into 75,000-plus miles of Alternative Fuel Corridors in the U.S., will feature dc fast chargers approximately every 50 miles, or 80 kilometers. In total, the corridor will feature 215 charging stations, including 154 between Quebec City and Toronto, and 61 more between Toronto and Detroit.  

The stations themselves will include at least one dc fast charger—not all will be Level 3, the fastest on the market today. They’re able to deliver between 50 and 350 kW of power. Charging with a Level 3 station can add 298 miles (480 km) range at the high end; at 50 kW, one hour of charging will add approximately 173 miles (278 km) of range for a passenger vehicle.

The route will use the tunnel from Detroit to Canada and continue along Highway 401 through Toronto, Highway 20 through Montreal, and then use Highway 40 to reach Quebec City. The stations themselves are planned to be within 6 km (3.7 miles) of the highways, so they won't all be positioned immediately on the route. The corridor will feature several hundred new stations.

"The U.S. and Canada have long enjoyed a productive partnership on transportation issues and in that spirit, we are proud to announce the first-ever U.S.-Canada EV Corridor,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. He noted that each of the two countries is supporting the infrastructure on its respective side of the corridor.

The Michigan side will be using funds from the $110 million that the state is receiving from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure fund, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to build out the state’s EV charging infrastructure.

“Canada and the United States have built the world's largest market-based energy trading relationship, which provides a firm foundation as we strive to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions,” said Omar Algbhabra, Canadian Minister of Transport. “This first cross-border alternative fuel corridor will help drivers to travel across the border and charge or refuel worry-free. It contributes to bringing us another step closer to making our air cleaner while helping people save money on traditional fuels.”

Detroit has been making a big push to expand its EV infrastructure. About 50 new charging sites will be installed soon throughout the city.