Powered by clean energy, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is at home by the cottage.Krystyna Lagowski/The Globe and Mail
Every summer, the lure of clean air and pristine lakes has Canadians flocking to cottage country. But how many will use clean energy, like an electric vehicle, to get there? It’s a long way from the city to a cabin by the water, and not every seasonal property is equipped for charging. Is the public charging infrastructure up to the task?
When my cousins invited me to their cottage near Parry Sound, Ont., I jumped at the chance to test how challenging it would be get there and back with an EV.
My cousins’ cottage is powered by solar panels and a propane generator. As a result, there’s no way to charge an electric vehicle there. I didn’t let that deter me from choosing a 2022 Mustang Mach-E for the 508-kilometre round trip. After all, the California Route 1 model was equipped with a tremendous 91-kilowatt-hour battery that provides an estimated 505 kilometres of range.
That is important, because I don’t have home charging, either, and must rely completely on public infrastructure. I’ve found the local infrastructure to be wanting in the past, and checked the PlugShare EV charging locator app for the Parry Sound area. Seven fast chargers popped up. But, just in case, I beefed up my CAA membership to cover a 300-kilometre tow. Although I’d be picking up the Mach-E fully charged, there was no predicting whether the chargers would be working, accessible and available.
The morning temperature had already soared to the high 20s when I left Toronto. Air conditioning was a must, even though it would diminish the Mach-E’s range. Cool and comfortable, I felt rather special rolling along the highway, quietly ensconced in the Mach-E’s high-tech, poshly upholstered interior.
All along Highway 401 and the 400, plenty of signs advertised gas and diesel stations. There are Level 3 fast chargers some ONroute highway rest stops on the 401 and 400 highways, but they don’t appear to merit highway signs.
As I turned down the last four kilometres of unpaved road to the cottage, there was only the sound of crunching gravel as the Mach-E handily conquered steep hills and blind turns. Under the canopy of maple, spruce and cedar, it was the perfect eco-friendly vehicle for my weekend excursion.
Charging the 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E in Parry Sound, Ont.Krystyna Lagowski/The Globe and Mail
When my cousins came out to greet me, I still had 227 kilometres of range left. I could relax and enjoy a weekend of canoeing, swimming, gawking at wildlife and feasting on outstanding cuisine.
After three idyllic days of recharging my own batteries, it was time to recharge the Mach-E’s battery. The heat and humidity still hung heavily in the air, and I hoped it would not have an impact on my charging. My first choice was a fast charger at Trestle Brewing Co. in Parry Sound, which offered free parking and free charging. Fingers crossed, I set my course and held my breath.
Much to my delight, Trestle’s charger was easily visible from the road, as was the empty spot in front of it. I pulled up, plugged in and started charging. The only hitch was the charger speed; it should have been 50 kilowatts, but averaged 44. Perhaps the 37-degree heat was to blame?
Otherwise, everything went smoothly. Within 30 minutes, the car was 70-per-cent charged, more than enough to get home. A young couple approached, eyeing the Mach-E, and asked whether it could tow a sailboat. I wasn’t sure, and we agreed that Ford’s F-150 Lightning EV pickup truck might be a better choice.
This young couple were typical of today’s cottagers, many of whom would like to drive an EV to the cottage, but have restrictions. David Sweetnam always takes his 2015 Tesla Model S to his Georgian Bay cottage from the Beaches area of Toronto, and sometimes gets a trickle charge at a nearby marina in Midland, Ont. “If I plug in for four hours, I can get to Barrie, where I can use high-speed chargers,” he says. Sweetnam is executive director of Georgian Bay Forever, an environmental non-profit, and notes some marinas are installing EV chargers. “Marinas are not affluent businesses, and could use an extra revenue stream. Providing access to charging will attract people to your marina.”
Sweetnam has seen quite a few EVs around Georgian Bay. “It only makes sense that if you’re going to participate in a leisure activity, you’re going to do it in a carbon-free way.”
Terry Rees, executive director of the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA), has also noticed more EVs on the roads to his summer home near Peterborough. He estimates there are 200,000 Ontario waterfront properties registered with FOCA, and the number is growing.
Statistics Canada projects rural growth is going to be higher than it’s been in the last 40 years. “As real estate prices stay high, the number of people living full-time at their cottages is increasing,” Rees says.
“Rural communities are changing. Everyone’s going to start switching over to EVs, and people want reliable, cost-effective transportation. There needs to be good EV charging infrastructure in these communities.”
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