EV Fleets Need Megawatts — Last-Mile Facility Requirements in Metro Vancouver
Fleet electrification has moved from pilot to procurement. For last-mile operators, electrical capacity now decides a site before dock count or highway access does.
September 1, 2026 · 2 min read · By Samuel Brahem, in association with NAI Commercial
The mandates set the clock
BC's Clean Transportation Action Plan requires 30% of new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales in applicable categories to be zero-emission by 2030 and 100% by 2040. On seven- to ten-year replacement cycles, facility decisions made now must carry electric fleets by the end of the decade. Vancouver's zero-emission delivery zone framework, phased in from 2024, has pulled that forward for anyone serving downtown. Richmond and Burnaby have signalled interest in following.
Power is the constraint
A medium-duty electric van draws roughly 50–70 kW on Level 2 overnight charging. Thirty vehicles need 1.5 to 2.1 MW without load management. Most existing last-mile buildings in Metro Vancouver have 200–600 amp, 600 volt three-phase service, which runs lights, HVAC and forklifts and not much else. Getting to multi-megawatt service means:
- New transformers, with BC Hydro lead times of 12 to 24 months
- Expanded electrical rooms or outdoor pad-mounted transformers
- Service upgrade costs of $150,000 to $500,000
- Possible distribution upgrades where the local grid is already tight
The building with the power wins the tenant before the building with the docks.
Site and lease
Chargers go where vans sit overnight without blocking doors or circulation, which often means perimeter parking and long cable runs. Tight yards give up a stall or two. Load management hardware needs weatherproof space. Reserve pad and conduit for DC fast charging even if you do not install it on day one.
On the lease: power-ready buildings carry a $0.50 to $1.00 per sq. ft. premium on net rent. Charging can be 30–50% of a building's electrical load, so settle metering, demand charges and any landlord markup. Operators want seven- to ten-year terms to amortize the kit; landlords want removal clauses or ownership of fixed infrastructure. Check that permitted use actually covers charging and outdoor electrical equipment.
Where the capacity is
South Vancouver and Burnaby's Big Bend sit on older distribution with limited headroom. Richmond near the Sea Island connector and newer Campbell Heights product generally have more. Q2 2026 net asking rents: Vancouver about $20.10 per sq. ft. with 5.4% vacancy, Burnaby $19.67 near 4.9%, Richmond $20.26, Surrey's Port Kells and Newton $18.66 with better power in newer builds. Build-to-suit in Campbell Heights or Langley's Gloucester area lets you design the service from scratch on an 18–24 month horizon.
Plan 24–30 months from site identification to an operational electrified depot. Start the BC Hydro conversation during site selection, not after the lease is signed.
