Montréal, June 23, 2016

Press Release

EVS29 Electric Vehicle Symposium: A great success for Hydro-Québec

The EVS29 conference, held in Montréal from June 19 to 22, was an astounding success, drawing over 2,000 attendees. The major international event showcased rechargeable electric vehicles of all kinds, be they hybrid, extended range, or fully electric. Numerous companies from Québec and all over the world exhibited their products related to transportation electrification, and over 1,000 people took electric vehicles out for a test drive.

“Transportation electrification remains an essential tool in the fight against climate change, and Hydro-Québec has everything it takes to bring clean, renewable energy to this evolution,” said Pierre-Luc Desgagné, Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Secretary General at Hydro-Québec. “Electric vehicles, regardless of whether they are hybrid or fully electric, contribute to reducing GHG emissions and are an attractive financial choice for drivers.”

A leader in transportation electrification

At the conference, Hydro-Québec’s transportation electrification expertise was the object of much attention and enthusiastic praise. The Electric Circuit’s business model, which centers on investments from private and institutional partners to commission new charging stations, was highly acclaimed as an innovative approach.

The results of a pilot project, which was run by the Hydro-Québec’s research institute, IREQ, and aimed to test power exchanges between electric vehicle batteries and homes or the electrical system, also drew a positive reaction among conference-goers.

The event was also a stage for showcasing Hydro-Québec subsidiary TM4’s high-performance electrical powertrains, including its SUMO line, specially designed for electric buses.

An important announcement

At the EVS29 conference, Hydro-Québec announced the electrification of Highway 20, one of Québec’s busiest corridors, between Montréal and Mont-Joli. New fast-charge stations in Daveluyville and Laurier-Station will be in addition to the existing stations in Sainte-Julie, Drummondville and Lévis. A sixth charging station will be available this fall at the St-Hubert restaurant in St-Hyacinthe. Later this year, a second phase of the Highway 20 electrification project will be completed between Québec and Mont-Joli, with the addition of fast-charge stations in Montmagny, Rivière-du-Loup, Trois-Pistoles and Rimouski. Charging stations are already in service in La Pocatière and Mont-Joli.

The Electric Circuit is the largest public charging network for electric vehicles in Québec, with over 670 charging stations, 34 of which are fast-charge stations.

For more information:

Louis-Olivier Batty
Press Officer
514 289-4214
batty.louis-olivier@hydro.qc.ca

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