BCI Marine partners with Aqua superPower to install fast-charging points throughout Canada – welcoming potential dealers
Jan 11, 2022
Ontario and Quebec will be the first provinces to receive new Aqua superPower DC rapid chargers, with their initial targeted locations to be announced in early 2022. Aqua superPower plans its first completed Canadian installation through one of BCI’s partners by Victoria Day ’22.
Each Aqua superPower rapid charger will provide dual simultaneous DC charging of up to 150kW and will be accessible to marina users via the Aqua secure app or RFID card.
“We know that for the electric boat market to truly launch in Canada, it’s essential that a conveniently available ‘super charging’ network be implemented to service these boats,” says Patrick Hardy, President of BCI Marine. “We are proud to partner with Aqua superPower to begin building, and fast-tracking, a more eco-friendly and sustainable boating experience with specific marinas and destination points in Ontario and Quebec, many that have already been identified.
“The X-Shore EELEX 8000 100% Electric Boat (pictured above) was introduced to the Canadian market, by us, this past fall, and new electric brands will be launched, by us, soon,” Hardy continues. “Other electric boat builders will come to market too, so strategically, BCI Marine, taking the initiative to introduce a ‘marine’ DC rapid charging point provider, and Aqua superPower specifically, was the right, responsible, and logical next step, for the Canadian consumer, and marine dealers.”
“As the electric mobility revolution continues to take hold on the roads and in the skies, the shift towards electrification is also gathering pace across the marine world. Aqua superPower supports marinas, boat builders and boat owners in the drive to bring electric power to the water and reduce the impact of boating on marine ecosystems,” explains Alex Bamberg, CEO of Aqua superPower. “When you’re asking a consumer to make a significant investment in an electric boat, you want to assure them they can have the charging that suits their lifestyle.
“The requirement for a joined-up network of reliable and fast marine chargers to create charging hubs and corridors for electric boat users is absolutely crucial if we are to secure the transition away from liquid carbon fuels. Our partnership with Aqua superPower, and their partners, will help fast-track marine electrification, in Canada.”
Boating Industry Canada News Week interviewed Patrick Hardy about future product introductions for BCI Marine and we learned that the company plans to introduce two more electric boat brands this winter with some further, very exciting news to be announced shortly after that.
From an investment perspective for marinas, the plans for Aqua superPower installations are to be on a capital expense business model where they cover the upfront costs of the installation and share ongoing revenue with the marina. It’s a model the company has already established in Europe.
The initial goal is to create an Ontario network of at least three Aqua superPower installations spaced approximately 75 miles apart to facilitate comfortable cruising. A similar network is planned for Quebec.
In addition to the growing fleet of electric boats from BCI Marine, other brands already in the marketplace that may benefit from the Aqua superPower installations could include electric wake boats like the Super Air Nautique GS 22E, the Bruce 22 and the E-Motion 180E electric outboard from Vision Marine Technologies, three promised new Princecraft pontoon boats with electric power and a rapidly growing list of other new category entrants.
New products are coming quicky. Patrick Hardy commented that, “We need our Ministry of the Environment to facilitate marinas who want to add docks to create a “Green Space” where the Aqua superPower installations can go, away from the regular fuel docks, to fast-charge in a safe area. If we can help marinas step into the future today, we can all enjoy a greener future in years to come.”
For more information, to become a BCI Marine dealer partner and/or to become an Aqua superPower destination, visit www.bcimarine.com.
