A $0.5m grant from the Ontario government has help fund an installation to show how intelligent EV charging and car sharing can benefit the grid.

Canadian companies Swtch Energy and Kite Mobility also raised a further $1m in industry contributions, for a total project value of $1.5m, to fund a multi-tenant EV charging project.

The R&D Partnership Fund of the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN)’s supported the installation and demonstration of Swtch software to optimise intelligently energy use of EV charging at a high-density community in Ontario.

Swtch is a pioneer of EV charging technology for multi-tenant buildings across North America. The partnership was with shared e-mobility provider Kite Mobility and OVIN.

Project insights should help key stakeholders understand tenant EV charging behaviour and how EV charging infrastructure in high-density buildings can be optimised to reduce strain on local grids across Canada.

“Through OVIN, Ontario is proud to support forward-looking companies like Swtch that are breaking down barriers to EV adoption with made-in-Ontario options,” said Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s minister of economic development. “By advancing smarter grid integration and accelerating the rollout of charging infrastructure, we’re helping to build a modern EV ecosystem that supports growth, innovation and long-term sustainability.”

Limited electrical capacity is preventing many Ontario multi-tenant buildings from deploying EV charging infrastructure. Leveraging its EV charging management software, Swtch installed and tested 15 public smart load-managed level-two EV chargers at a luxury lifestyle resort community in Ontario. By allocating charging to locations and periods of lower demand, and limiting the rate during peak hours, it enabled the resort community to install EV charging infrastructure that will ensure the stability and resiliency of the local grid as more EV chargers are added with increasing demand.

“OVIN’s funding enabled us to showcase how EV chargers in multi-tenant buildings, equipped with Swtch Control, can positively impact local electrical distribution networks and the grid,” said Carter Li, CEO of Swtch. “Large communities with high-density buildings and a mix of public and private chargers are ideal for demonstrating how Swtch Control dynamically adjusts energy use of EV chargers based on real-time consumption. This project will increase access to charging and pave the way for greater electric vehicle adoption among the millions of Ontarians living and working in multi-tenant settings.”

The project also demonstrated how EV-sharing programmes can empower tenants to embrace sustainable transportation. Swtch integrated Kite’s reservation system, which manages the demand and usage of shared EVs and electric micromobility vehicles such as e-bikes and e-scooters, with its EV charging management platform. Residents will have access to clean transportation, while the technology integration ensures a seamless experience for property managers and residents in the community.

Swtch manages more than 15,000 chargers on its network and its software integration with Kite Mobility has the potential to create more flexible and effective utility programmes that unlock the value of EVs as grid management tools.

“Next-generation charging technologies are the key to accelerating Ontario’s shift to electrification,” said Raed Kadri, head of OVIN.

Scott Macwilliam, CEO of Kite Mobility (www.kitemobility.io), added: “By teaming up with Swtch, we are accelerating electric vehicle-sharing services for Ontarian communities. We’re excited by the success of this project, which will help Ontarian multi-tenant buildings offer state of the art electric vehicles and charging as amenities.”

Last year, Swtch (swtchenergy.com) secured $27.2mn in series B funding to accelerate charging in multi-tenant buildings, following a tenfold increase in the company’s charging network since its series A. The funding is advancing its EV charging and integrated energy management technology for real-estate customers across North America. In June 2024, Swtch was granted certification by the Open Charing Alliance (OCA), a global organisation dedicated to the development and adoption of open, accessible and cooperative EV charging networks. Swtch is one of only two North American EV charging software services to achieve the charging station management system certification.

OVIN (www.ovinhub.ca) is an initiative of the government of Ontario, led by the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), designed to reinforce Ontario’s position as a North American leader in automotive technology and smart mobility such as connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and electric and low-carbon vehicle technologies.

“Swtch and Kite Mobility are showing how Ontario innovation can tackle real-world barriers to electrification,” said Claudia Krywiak, CEO of the OCI (www.oc-innovation.ca). “This project demonstrates how strategic investment, supported through OVIN, can drive scalable options that improve grid resilience, enhance sustainable transportation, and unlock long-term growth opportunities for made-in-Ontario technologies.”