Owners of electric vehicles (EV) now have another option for charging their rides thanks to Dean Cooley GM.
Referred to as a quick charger, the smart DC 50 kilowatt charger is on the FLO network and should provide about an 80 per cent charge in 20 to 30 minutes depending on the battery and the type of vehicle.
The local dealership installed the charger on its lot as part of its preparations to get started in the EV business.
“This year we’ll start to receive Silverados and Sierras, Blazers and Equinoxes,” said Dean Cooley, the principle dealer of Dean Cooley GM. “We’re just a few months away from really being able to sell a good variety of EVs.”
Cooley said the dealerships customers have been make inquiries about EVs and he does have around a dozen reservations for the vehicles when they start arriving.
“We refer to them as reservations versus sales, because at this point, I haven’t told you exactly what it’s going to cost you and I think you’d probably like to drive it before you actually pay for it,” he said.
Cooley added, however, EVs will not be the complete focus of the business.
“I think it will be a part of what we do. We don’t believe it’s going to be all what we do, but we do believe it’ll be a big part of what we do,” he said, adding EVs still have some limitations. “If you said to me, ‘hey I’m an outdoorsy guy. I’m heading to Flin Flon three times a year to go fishing or I’m hauling a 30-foot fifth wheel camper,’ I mean there’s just scenarios that this isn’t going to work.”
When it comes to running around town, heading back and forth to work and make day trips outside the area, EVs will offer an economical alternative to gas powered vehicles.
“There’s scenarios where it’s going to be perfect,” he said.
As part of its preparations for the EVs the dealership has trained its technicians on the vehicles and invested in some equipment such as a forklift for moving batteries, an oversized hoist to accommodate the weight of the vehicles, additional charges in the mechanical department and some special tooling to perform repairs.
“We are set to go,” Cooley said.
