Hydro-Québec and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada to launch Canada's largest all-electric vehicle pilot project in the fall of 2010
Today, Hydro-Québec and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada Inc. (MMSCAN) announced the signature of a memorandum of understanding that will lead to the launch of Canada's largest all-electric vehicle pilot project this coming fall. In collaboration with the City of Boucherville, Hydro-Québec will test the performance of up to 50 Mitsubishi i-MiEVs, the vehicle which recently won the Japanese Car of the Year award for "Most Advanced Technology" at the Tokyo International Motor Show.
The project, which is evaluated at $4.5 million, aims to test the cars under a variety of road conditions, including those due to Québec's harsh winters and is designed to study the vehicles' charging behaviour, the driving experience and overall driver satisfaction. The project is the first of its kind to include the participation of a car manufacturer, a public utility, a municipality and local businesses that will integrate the vehicles into their existing fleets.
Thierry Vandal, Hydro-Québec's President and CEO declared "This new pilot project is part of our action plan for the electrification of vehicles [...] it will allow us to advance our knowledge of the technology and its integration into our grid, which in turn, will help us plan the necessary charging infrastructure for homes, offices and public places."
The City of Boucherville was selected as the project's host municipality given its proximity to Hydro-Québec's research institute (IREQ), its role in Hydro-Québec's upcoming interactive smart zone trial and the diversity of its local businesses. The availability of a local Mitsubishi dealership to oversee the i-MiEVs' maintenance was also part of the selection criteria.
i-MiEV, which stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle, is an all-electric, highway-capable, charge-at-home commuter car. Because the battery, the motor and other items are mounted out of the way beneath the floor, the i-MiEV seats four adults and offers surprising interior room and cargo space. Other i-MiEV features include excellent low-speed acceleration and a very low centre of gravity, which contributes to superior handling and stability. Moreover, the i-MiEV is extremely quiet.
"We are very proud to be leading the way to a greener, more sustainable future by developing environment-friendly vehicles fuelled by clean, renewable energy," said Koji Soga, President and CEO of MMSCAN. "Mitsubishi is a leader in electric car development and the i-MiEV represents the pinnacle of our green technologies. In the same sense, Hydro-Québec and the City of Boucherville are demonstrating their environmental leadership by participating in this unique initiative."
The electric vehicle pilot project comes ahead of the government of Québec's soon to be released 2010-2015 Electric Vehicle Action Plan, announced in June 2009 and which is expected to include incentives to get electric vehicles on Québec's roadways, as well as for car and component manufacturers to establish themselves further in the province.