Quilakwa Investments, a Splatsin First Nation owned company, has installed and activated two FLO electric vehicle (EV) direct current fast chargers (DCFCs), the first of their kind in the town of Enderby, BC. In addition to serving the Splatsin First Nation, the two fast chargers, located on Highway 97A, will also cater to EV drivers visiting this beautiful region of BC.
“Being in a prime location for our community as much as for travelers, we felt that there was a great opportunity to install our first EV chargers and to bring highly valuable infrastructure to the region,” said Nik Vischschraper, Manager of Facilities & Operations at Quilakwa Investments. “Caring for the environment and protecting nature have always been one of our top priorities. In FLO, we found an ally that not only shared our environmental values but also brought to the table the relevant expertise to make this development happen.”
“We are also very grateful for the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, which ultimately made possible the completion of the project,” added Vischschraper.
The Splatsin First Nation predominantly resides around the city of Enderby to the south and across the Shuswap River to the east. The Splatsin people are the southernmost tribe of the Secwépemc Nation, the largest interior Salish-speaking First Nation in Canada.
“We are particularly proud to expand the FLO network to Enderby and include the Splatsin First Nation among the communities we support in their transition to electric mobility,” said Michael Pelsoci, FLO’s Regional Sales Director, Pacific Northwest. “Our collaboration with Quilawaka Investments stems from a common goal to protect the environment and intensify the fight against climate change through greater EV adoption.”
The two chargers are conveniently located in a service centre alongside other amenities, which provides travelers with a quick one-stop-shop.
“EV enthusiasts can take advantage of the charging stations’ prime location to plug in their vehicles while grabbing a coffee or a snack before continuing their road trip, or simply drive in from nearby communities to charge up, as most EV drivers will use DCFCs, on average, for sessions of 20 to 30 minutes. Thanks to our constant focus on reliability and uptime, EV drivers can now plan with confidence a journey that will include a stop in Enderby,” added Pelsoci.
