New cost of charging (effective since April 2, 2024)

The cost of using an Electric Circuit charging station depends mainly on the type of station:

In accordance with Québec provincial regulations, fast-charge rates are indexed at the start of every year.

Prices are set to support expansion of the charging network, improve price equity and facilitate access to charging in public places.

Level 2 charging stations

Level 2 charging stations (or 7-kW standard stations) are part of the Electric Circuit network but do not belong to Hydro-Québec. The charging rate at these stations is determined by the station owners based on predefined criteria. It can therefore vary from one charging station to another. The rate is clearly indicated on the charging station screen and can also be viewed by displaying the charging station on the online interactive map or in the Eletric Circuit mobile app.

Although the rates are determined by the station owners, they must adhere to a grid provided by the Electric Circuit, which is designed to help standardize rates.

There are several advantages to the new pricing structure:
•   A larger partner network and therefore accelerated growth in the Electric Circuit’s fleet of public charging stations
•   Ready access to public charging
•   Reliable and continued service throughout the network
•   Optimized flexibility—the rates at some charging stations may decrease significantly, even to the point of being free
•   Competitive charging rates, with kilowatts remaining more affordable than gas

Which parameters will charging station owners be required to follow?

Electric Circuit partners will be able to modify the rates at their charging stations on June 1 and December 1 of each year.

The new rates can be determined according to three possibilities:

Hourly rate: Between $0 and $3 per hour of charging, billed by the minute in increments of $0.25.
A flat fee: Between $0 and $20 per charging session, in increments of $0.50.
A differentiated fee: Between $0 and $3 per time slot for charging and between $0 and $3 per time slot for inactivity (when the charging session has ended but the vehicle is still plugged in).

24 kW fast-charge stations

At 24 kW fast-charge stations, pricing is tiered and calculated based on the electricity and power supplied.

The amount of power varies over the course of charging, increasing slightly at the start of charging and then quickly dropping when a certain charge level is reached.

When the power supplied is less than 10 kW, hourly rate pricing applies. This is intended to prevent members from monopolizing charging stations at the end of a session by encouraging them to free up stations for other EV drivers more quickly.

Pricing at 24 kW fast-charge stations (billed per kilowatthour or by the second):

Power supplied	Battery charge level	Price per kWh*	Hourly rate*
Less than 10 kW	90% or less Over 90%	N/A	$7.76
Less than 10 kW	90% or less Over 90%	N/A	$7.76
10 kW or more	N/A	$0.36	N/A

*Taxes included.

50 kW fast-charge stations

At 50 kW fast-charge stations, pricing is tiered and calculated based on the electricity and power supplied.

The amount of power varies over the course of charging, increasing slightly at the start of charging and then quickly dropping when a certain charge level is reached.

When the power supplied is less than 20 kW, hourly rate pricing applies. When the battery charge reaches 90%, the price for the lowest power tier doubles. This is intended to prevent members from monopolizing charging stations at the end of a session by encouraging them to free up stations for other EV drivers more quickly.

Pricing at 50 kW fast-charge stations (billed per kilowatthour or by the second):

Power supplied	Battery charge level	Price per kWh*	Hourly rate*
Less than 20 kW	90% or less Over 90%	N/A	$13.14
Less than 20 kW	90% or less Over 90%	N/A	$26.29
20 kW or more	N/A	$0.36	N/A

*Taxes included.

Some 50kW fast-charge stations are still offered at a fixed price of $13.14 an hour, billed by the second.

Pricing at 50 kW fast-charge stations (billed per fixed price):

Below 90% charge	90% charge or above
$13.14	$26.29

*Taxes included.

In Ontario, fast charging is offered at 0.49$/kWh when the power supplied is equal or greater than 20 kW. When the power supplied is less than 20 kW, hourly rate of 17.96 $ per hour (taxes included) is billed by the second and doubles when battery charge level is greater than 90 %.

100 kW fast-charge stations

At 100 kW fast-charge stations, pricing is tiered and calculated based on the electricity and power supplied.

The amount of power varies over the course of charging, increasing slightly at the start of charging and then quickly dropping when a certain charge level is reached.

It’s also important to note that the rate for charging below 50 kW at a 100 kW fast-charge station is higher than at a 50 kW charging station to encourage drivers to charge their vehicle at the station that best suits the needs of their EV.

Pricing at 100 kW fast-charge stations (billed per kilowatthour or by the second):

Power supplied	Battery charge level	Price per kWh*	Hourly rate*
Less than 20 kW	90% or less Over 90%	N/A	$16.20
Less than 20 kW	90% or less Over 90%	N/A	$32.40
20 kW or more and less than 50 kW	N/A	$0.47	N/A
50 kW or more	N/A	$0.41	N/A

*Taxes included.

The new rates provide these benefits:

Better match between the price paid and energy supplied
Equitable pricing and transparency for drivers of different types of EVs
More efficient charging
Better management of queues and usage at charging stations

The following scenario illustrates a charging session at a 100 kW fast-charge station.

100 kW+ fast-charge stations

At 100 kW+ fast-charge stations, pricing is tiered and calculated based on the electricity and power supplied.

The amount of power varies over the course of charging, increasing slightly at the start of charging and then quickly dropping when a certain charge level is reached. When the power supplied is less than 20 kW, hourly rate pricing applies.

When the battery charge reaches 90%, the price for the lowest power tier doubles. This is intended to prevent members from monopolizing charging stations at the end of a session by encouraging them to free up stations for other EV drivers more quickly.

It’s also important to note that the rate for charging below 50 kW at a 100 kW+ fast-charge station is higher than at a 100 kW or 50 kW charging station to encourage drivers to charge their vehicle at the station that best suits the needs of their EV.

Pricing at 100 kW+ fast-charge stations (billed per kilowatthour or by the second):

Power supplied	Battery charge level	Price per kWh*	Hourly rate*
Less than 20 kW	90% or less Over 90%	N/A	$18.32
Less than 20 kW	90% or less Over 90%	N/A	$36.64
20 kW or more and less than 50 kW	N/A	$0.53	N/A
50 kW or more and less than 90 kW	N/A	$0.41	N/A
90 kW or more and less than 180 kW	N/A	$0.53	N/A
180 kW or more	N/A	$0.60	N/A

*Taxes included.

The new rates provide these benefits:

Better match between the price paid and energy supplied
Equitable pricing and transparency for drivers of different types of EVs
More efficient charging
Better management of queues and usage at charging stations

The following scenario illustrates a charging session at a 100 kW fast-charge station.

Breakdown of the charging cost (taxes included)

For a charge level of 10 to 80%:

40.3 kWh @ $0.41/kWh = $16,52
6.0 kWh @ $0.47/kWh = $2.82

Total: $19.34 for 46.3 kWh or $0.42/kWh.

The following scenario illustrates a charging session at a 350 kW fast-charge station.

Breakdown of the charging cost (taxes included)

For a charge level of 10 to 80%:

43.3 kWh @ $0.60/kWh = $25.98
21.6 kWh @ $0.53/kWh = $11.45
1.9 kWh @ $0.41/kWh = $0.78

Total: $38.21 for 66.8 kWh or $0.57/kWh.

Note : The ultra-fast charging stations in the Electric Circuit meet the needs of the most efficient EVs and reduce the charging time compared to other fast-charge stations.

To see which price applies at a particular station, consult the Electric Circuit mobile app or the Find a station section of the Electric Circuit website.

For access to a charging station in a paid parking facility, you must pay the usual parking fees as they are not included in the charging cost.

NOTE: A $5 fee (taxes included) will be charged to your Electric Circuit account for all requests to activate a charging station through the CAA-Québec help line. This will be in addition to the cost of your charge. To avoid this fee, you can always use the mobile app or your Electric Circuit card.

NOTE: If you use an Electric Circuit charging station from an account with a partner network (with the exception of the Flo network), roaming fees will be added to the cost of the charge. The roaming fee is $0.75 for a standard charge and $1.25 for a fast charge, taxes included.

NOTE: Charging is billed by the second, and all prices include taxes.
The bill is calculated based on the total time connected to the station.

Did you know ?

Prices at the Electric Circuit’s 50 kW charging stations are among the lowest in the world.
All 100 kW charging stations have at least one 50 kW charging point nearby, so you can choose what works best for you.
All charging stations combined, charging at public charging stations accounts for an average 10% of the annual charging of an electric vehicle.
Charging at fast-charge stations accounts for less than 3% of the annual charging of an electric vehicle.
To make it easy to quickly understand your charging costs, your bill shows the prices for the different power tiers and the charging time at each tier.
Charging speed at a fast-charge station drops when the battery reaches 80% capacity.
- This means that if you are taking a long trip, it’s best to plan an additional charging stop so charging will take less time and cost less and you won’t monopolize a charging point other electric vehicle users might want to use.
Level 2 charging stations make up close to 80% of the Electric Circuit network thanks to the participation and cooperation of all our partners who own the stations.