I love my electric car but I didn't realize my life would revolve around charging it

This First Person column is written by Akiko Hara, who lives in Vancouver. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.

Not again. All the electric vehicle charging stations were taken, and I knew I was in for at least a 30- to 40-minute wait. And yet, the app on my phone showed two chargers had been available five minutes ago. I had driven in this pouring rain for nothing, but what choice did I have? My EV needed charging for the next day's commute, and this was the closest station to my home.

When my old Hyundai Elantra received a death sentence at the repair shop in 2019, I decided that my new vehicle was going to be electric. Up until then, I had cared for the Earth by doing small things, such as using reusable grocery bags and recycling plastic and paper products. I wanted to do more. The demise of my gas-powered vehicle presented a perfect opportunity. I looked forward to driving a car that did not emit pollution or run on fossil fuel. 

The fact that my condo wasn't equipped with an EV charger didn't seem a big obstacle. Considering the support from the provincial government and the increasing number of electric cars every year, I presumed that it would be only a matter of time before we installed chargers in our underground parking. Meanwhile, I could use public charging stations that were popping up around my neighbourhood. 

The price range of electric vehicles dampened my initial excitement. I couldn't afford any of them. Determined, I looked into second-hand EVs, and voila! There were plenty on the market. With a loan, I could afford one. After a month of research and field study, I purchased a second-hand 2016 Nissan Leaf. 

I was happy. I loved the "coulis red" colour and the slightly nerdy look of its bug-eyed headlights. What I enjoyed the most was how quietly it glided on the road. Zero emission gave me peace of mind that I made the right choice for a world facing climate change. I never missed the roaring of the engine or the smell of the gasoline. 

My first year of EV ownership was great. I utilized public EV chargers, most of which were free at that time, and enjoyed impromptu conversations with fellow EV drivers I met at the charging stations. 

"Excuse me, no rush, but I'm just wondering how long you might be here."

"Oh, just about ten more minutes?"

Then we'd carry on with our conversation, mostly talking about our EVs. 

"Nissan Leaf? How do you like it?"

"I love it." 

Around the second year, the quest for charging started to become more frustrating than enjoyable. Significantly more people were driving EVs, which was encouraging. But this also meant that the chargers in my neighbourhood were almost always unavailable unless I got there before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m. After repeated incidents of disappointment, I stopped checking the availability online beforehand. The charger that showed as "available" online was often taken by the time I got there.   

In 2021, my strata council proposed spending $5,000 to assess the building's underground parking for suitability to install EV chargers. I was excited. I felt optimistic this would be approved easily.