Australian EV charging network JOLT has secured AU$215 million (£107 million) in funding from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) to fast-track the expansion of its EV charging and digital out-of-home (DOOH) network across Canada.
Under the agreement, the partnership will install up to 1,500 new kerbside EV chargers along with 3,000 DOOH screens in urban centres. According to JOLT, this will allow advertisers to connect with high-value EV driver audiences while they charge. Current organisations utilising this advertising method include car manufacturing giants Volkswagen and Audi, alongside the Ontario government.
JOLT’s EV chargers have 7kWh fast-charging capabilities per user per day. This provides around 50km of driving range and 15 to 20 minutes of charge time, depending on the type of vehicle.
The organisation has already started to roll out its EV chargers across the Greater Toronto Area.
JOLT CEO Doug McNamee said the partnership with the CIB represented a significant vote of confidence in JOLT’s EV charger and DOOH advertising network as the need for EV charging infrastructure grows worldwide.
“The further expansion of JOLT’s network will see our audience continue to grow and provide advertisers with a greater footprint to connect with audiences in meaningful, data-led ways. Forward-thinking brands are already experiencing the benefits of advertising on JOLT’s DOOH network, and demand continues to grow,” McNamee said.
JOLT has expanded its presence within the Australian EV market through the roll-out of additional EV charging stations in New South Wales in partnership with Transport for NSW and a variety of other local council and landowner partnerships in Australia and New Zealand. The group has also looked to broaden its global coverage, recently expanding into the New Zealand, UK and Canadian markets.
This expansion has led to the JOLT network growing by 92% globally. JOLT has also seen a 242% increase in EV charging energy provision year-on-year globally, while the number of charging sessions globally has jumped by 188% year on year.
Canada’s ambitious goals for EV uptake
The Canadian government has established lofty ambitions for the rollout of EV charging infrastructure to support the uptake of EV drivers. Zero-emission vehicles represented 15.7% of all car sales in Q3 2024.
To accommodate this growing number, the Canadian government aims to deploy 84,500 EV chargers by 2029, a program spearheaded by the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP). The government is also committed to achieving 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035 for all new light-duty vehicles.
For reference, around 13 million EVs are forecasted to be on Canadian roads by 2030, which correlates to a required 200,000 public EV chargers to accommodate this anticipated adoption.
McNamee believes Canada could learn from the rollout of EVs in Australia, which sold 114,000 vehicles in 2024.
“JOLT is in a unique position to have both a positive and sustainable impact on cities and EV drivers and the ability to offer drivers free and fast charging through its digital out-of-home advertising offer. 2024 marked a new record for EV sales in Australia, with 114,000 EVs sold last year. Our ambitious plan is to build tens of thousands of sites over the next decade in major cities globally,” McNamee said.
