EV Advice: Remember the Rogers outage and hang on to some older tech

Rogers’ customers across Canada, along with those for Fido and CHATR, won’t soon forget July 8, 2022. Their devices couldn’t call or use mobile data to access the internet for most of that day and evening. In some cases, even longer (It was after 10 p.m. in my case).

I asked the major EV charging networks – Electrify Canada, Petro-Canada, and Ivy – whether they noticed a downturn in usage or any technical issues at their quick-charging stations on the day of the outage. The latter two reported no issues with their networks, even though many owners access these stations, and their locations, through phone apps and make electronic payments using mobile data. Electrify Canada said it couldn’t access the information in time for our deadline.

While its debit card systems for in-store purchase where effected, Petro-Canada said the card readers used at its EV stations were not. Ivy said mobile users that couldn’t access its app could still charge their vehicles using its Ivy RFID cards or by contacting its toll-free number.

Those RFID cards have long been key tools that protected against spotty or non-existent cell service in underground parking lots. And while they were the preferred access (and payment) method when charging networks began appearing in the 2010s, they have been replaced by app-based systems.

Perhaps July 8 may have served as a warning to EV drivers that they may want one or two backup RFID cards to ensure they can still charge their vehicles on the road in the event of another outage.

Michael Bettencourt bought his first EV in late 2011 and has followed the Canadian EV scene ever since. Follow him on Twitter @MCBet10court