Electric vehicles are becoming a practical option for more Canadians, but buying the vehicle is only one part of the transition. Drivers also need reliable charging where they live and work. For many homes and buildings, that is where a hidden barrier appears: installing a Level 2 charger can require an expensive electrical panel or utility service upgrade.

Alberta Ecotrust has invested $500,000 in Variablegrid, a Canadian EV-charging technology company, to help address that barrier. We joined Spring Impact Capital, The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) and Avatar Innovations in the company's seed round, which was led by Spring. The investment comes through our Climate Innovation Fund, which invests in companies and projects that advance the climate goals of Calgary and Edmonton while building sustainable, market-ready solutions.

Variablegrid fits that mandate well. Its technology sits at the intersection of green transportation and building electrification. More importantly, it solves a practical and costly customer problem today, rather than depending on a future change in behaviour or major new infrastructure.

A practical solution to EV adoption

Many existing homes were not designed to support an EV charger alongside heating, cooling and other major appliances. A typical Level 2 charger may require a 40- to 60-amp circuit, which can be difficult to accommodate on a 100-amp electrical panel once other major household loads are considered. The challenge is even greater in apartment, condominium and commercial buildings, where many vehicles may need to charge at the same time.

The problem is often not the total amount of electricity a property uses over a day. It is the short period when several large electrical loads run at once, such as early evening when people arrive home, turn on appliances and plug in their vehicles. Without a way to manage that peak, an installer may recommend a panel or utility service upgrade before adding a charger. Those upgrades can be costly, disruptive and slow. In a multi-unit building, the cost and complexity can prevent a charging project from moving forward at all.

This matters because charging access can shape whether someone feels able to choose an electric vehicle. Reducing the cost and complexity of installation helps turn interest in EVs into a practical decision for more households and building owners.

“When someone buys an EV, they are making the largest energy decision of their life, and the first question is always the same, can I charge at home?” says Dan Lafferty, CEO and co-founder of Variablegrid. “Our job is to make the answer yes. No upgrade, no waiting, and no need to ever think about how many kilowatts their wires can carry.”

A smarter way to use existing electrical capacity

Variablegrid makes better use of the electrical capacity that is already available. Its controller monitors how much electricity a home or building is using and directs the remaining capacity to EV charging.

The system works more like a dimmer than an on-off switch. When other equipment needs more power, it reduces charging. When demand falls, it increases charging again. This allows the vehicle to charge as quickly as the property can safely support without overloading the electrical system. The same approach works in a single-family home or across a larger property. In multi-unit residential and commercial buildings, Variablegrid can coordinate up to 200 chargers, and it is compatible with a wide range of standard charging equipment.

By responding to actual demand, Variablegrid can often make room for charging without the cost of building additional electrical capacity that may only be needed for a few peak hours. It also creates a flexible platform that can support future uses such as solar integration and utility demand-management programs.

Who benefits

• EV drivers and homeowners: Lower installation costs, fewer disruptive electrical upgrades and a clearer path to reliable Level 2 charging.

• Building owners and managers: Condo boards, apartment owners, developers and commercial property managers can add charging to more parking stalls while making better use of existing infrastructure.

• Installers, dealers and communities: Electrical contractors and auto dealers gain a simpler installation pathway, while utilities and communities benefit from more flexible electricity demand as transportation electrifies.

These benefits reinforce one another. A lower-cost installation helps a customer adopt an EV. More flexible charging makes it easier for buildings and the electricity system to accommodate that growth. Over time, that supports lower transportation emissions without requiring every property to be rebuilt around its highest possible electrical load.

Why we invested

Our investment approach starts with a simple question: can a climate solution deliver meaningful environmental benefits while solving a real customer problem? Variablegrid does both. It can reduce a barrier to EV adoption, help customers avoid unnecessary costs and support more efficient use of existing electrical infrastructure.

The company also has evidence that its solution is moving beyond the pilot stage. Founded in 2022, Variablegrid has installed more than 440 controllers across Canada, has paying customers and repeat orders, and holds a national master distribution agreement with Kia Canada, with more than 80 per cent of Kia's EV dealerships registered on the platform. To date, its technology has saved customers more than $5.5 million in avoided electrical upgrade costs.

Alberta is an important part of the story. CEO Dan Lafferty is based in Calgary, and Alberta is currently Variablegrid's strongest market per participating Kia dealer: dealers in the province are placing nearly twice as many orders per location as those in Ontario. That early traction suggests Alberta's slower headline EV adoption may reflect practical charging barriers as much as a lack of customer interest. When those barriers are reduced, customers respond.

The investment will primarily support delivery of Variablegrid's partnership with Kia Canada, while helping the company scale its operations, customer support and research and development.

It also shows how Canadian climate investors can work together. Alberta Ecotrust and TAF are both members of Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3), a national network that helps local climate solutions scale across the country. “Variablegrid is exactly the kind of commercially promising climate solution that we can help scale through the LC3 Network collaboration,” says Sid Roy, Investments Director at Alberta Ecotrust. “By combining local market knowledge with aligned capital, we can help Canadian companies grow while addressing practical climate challenges in our communities.”

Variablegrid is a strong fit for the Fund because it connects measurable climate impact with a clear customer benefit and a credible path to commercial growth. It is the kind of practical Canadian innovation that can create value in Alberta and scale well beyond the province.

Looking ahead

EV sales and policy may move unevenly from year to year, but the long-term direction is clear: more vehicles and buildings will rely on electricity. Making that transition affordable will require solutions that work with the homes, buildings and electrical systems we already have. Variablegrid helps do exactly that, making EV charging more accessible today while preparing communities for the growth ahead.